Beneath the Valley
by Crystal Rose of Pollux
Summary: The Chagnys have funded an expedition in the Valley of the Kings, and a treasure trove has finally been found. Raoul, Christine, and the Phantom travel to Egypt to investigate, but all is not what it seems. Completed with chapter 16 and epilogue!
1. The Great Find

Author's Note: A few notices and disclaimers to mention… first of all, the Phantom has repented in my fics and is no longer an enemy of Raoul (they're not exactly friends, either, but they're not enemies; my fic "In Search of Answers" explains how they got to this point). Secondly, if there's anything in this story that looks like a cameo or a reference to a certain Egyptian-themed anime (and a fic I wrote for it called "Erasing the Cartouches"), it probably is (but this won't be a crossover)! Lastly, I don't own these characters, except for the main villain. Thanks to The Duelist's Heiress and LuckyLadybug for their support!

* * *

"Raoul!" Christine exclaimed. "Raoul, there's a letter from the head of the Egyptology expedition you helped to fund!" 

"It's about time," Raoul answered. "They started their search a year ago. If I may…"

Christine handed him the envelope. Within it were several newly-developed photographs and one letter.

"Have they found anything?" Christine asked.

"They think they've found the mummy and possessions of a New Kingdom Pharaoh," Raoul said. "His tomb was discovered many years earlier, but was found empty."

"And they finally tracked him down?" asked Christine, intrigued.

"Apparently. The Pharaoh's coffin and all of his treasures were found in an unmarked cave in the Valley of the Kings. The archaeologists have been instructed not to move any of the artifacts or open the coffin until I've had a chance to inspect everything for myself."

"Formalities, I suppose; you _are_ the sponsor, after all," said Christine. "I envy you, Raoul…"

"Don't envy me yet," he said. "It seems I'll have to be leaving for Egypt soon; they want me there as soon as possible."

"How long do you think you'll be gone?"

"I expect we'll be there until they've uncovered everything and moved it all to the museum…"

"Yes, I suppose…" she began, but trailed off. "'We'!?"

"You didn't think for a minute that I'd let you miss out on a find like this, did you?" he asked, with a smile.

"Oh, Raoul!" she gasped, excited. "We're both going!? Oh, I must tell Meg about this; she'll be so intrigued about this too! …And if we're going to Egypt, I shall be needing a new sun hat…"

"Don't you want to see the photographs?" asked Raoul, handing them to her. "You can even see the hieroglyphs on the coffin. Here's the unmarked cave our team found. And there's the picture of the empty tomb that another archaeological team found all those years ago."

"Oh, Raoul, this is incredible!" she whispered. "And to think that no one has seen these in thousands of years! …But why would a treasure trove like this be in an unmarked cave?"

"I don't know any more than you do," Raoul replied. "But we'll find out when we get there, won't we?

"Yes! And I cannot wait!" she exclaimed. "Get us seats on the next boat if you can! Could I take these pictures to show Meg?"

"If you like," said Raoul. "But I never knew you were so interested in ancient Egypt."

"Oh… well… there's so much about them we don't know" she said, a faraway look in her eye. "I've heard stories that they had all sorts of secrets and magic and who knows what else…?"

"Perhaps we'll uncover some of those secrets for you while we're there," he replied. "Hopefully something we don't know… if we're lucky."

"And I like the idea that the ancient Egyptians had about being able to contact a soul even after he or she leaves this world," Christine went on, now sounding wistful. "I wouldn't deny that I want to speak to Father again… There's so much that I wish to tell him. Raoul, do you think the Egyptians really did have magic that could let us talk to the other side?"

She sounded so hopeful that Raoul didn't want to disappoint her.

"That can be something else we can look into when we get there," he promised her, in a soft voice. "Now, I don't want you worrying about that right now, alright? You were looking forward to this a little while ago. I want you to have a good time while we're there. Now, about the boat tickets… how long will it take you to pack?"

"We can leave tonight for a port city and leave for Egypt soon after!" she said, her excitement rekindling.

"Tonight? Are you sure?"

"I'll be amazed if I can get through the journey there without losing my mind from anticipation!" she replied. "Oh, Raoul, thank you so much!"

She kissed him and ran out the door to visit Meg, pictures in hand.

* * *

Meg wasn't as interested in Egyptology as Christine was, but she did express a polite interest as Christine went on about the upcoming trip. Christine departed the Girys' residence sometime later, her head so much in the clouds that she did not notice that she had walked right by the Phantom of the Opera. 

"Christine?" he asked.

"Angel!" she exclaimed with a sigh. "Angel, I'll soon be in Egypt!"

"Come again…?" asked the Phantom, thoroughly confused.

"Raoul and I are going to Egypt!" she said. "Hopefully, we'll be leaving for a port tonight and go on from there!"

"What's in Egypt?" asked the musician, trying to recall when he had last seen the girl so happy.

"Well, about a year ago, an archaeological group contacted us; this was shortly after our wedding. They asked us if we would fund and sponsor an excavation in the Valley of the Kings, and now, they've found something!" she said, and she showed him the photographs. "See?"

The Phantom glanced at the hieroglyphs on the Pharaoh's coffin.

"'Now one with Osiris, here rests Lord Sethos'…" he began, but trailed off at the look on Christine's face.

"You can read hieroglyphs!?" she asked, glancing at him with a newfound admiration.

"I was interesting in Egyptology as a child growing up under the Opera Populaire," he explained. "I taught myself how to read hieroglyphs; it took me years to master it."

"Then I shall be sending you so many letters and pictures for you to translate," she assured him. "Oh, I don't know how I'm supposed to wait to get there! And I still to need to buy a new sun hat…"

She walked on, virtually floating.

The Phantom pondered over what she had just told him.

* * *

Raoul, in the meantime, had booked the tickets, as per Christine's request. He had hoped that she would be pleased about going to Egypt, and she had been beyond pleased. And Raoul was determined to make this trip to Egypt the most romantic trip possible. 

He was already planning everything out. He would take her to all of the sights that could be seen. They would travel down the Nile by boat. They would sit beneath the Great Sphinx. They would traverse through the Great Pyramid and through the Valley of the Kings. And he would tell her over and over that she was far more beautiful than all of the gold and jewels they could ever find in Egypt.

He was brought back to reality upon Christine's return.

"Did you find your sun hat?" he asked.

"I did!" she replied. "Did you book the tickets?"

"We're leaving for Nice by train in a few hours, and we leave for Egypt tomorrow at dawn," he replied.

"Oh, Raoul, how am I supposed to wait!?"

He merely shrugged.

"So what did Meg say when you told her?" he asked.

"Would you believe it if I told you that she was only half-interested?" Christine replied, with a shake of her head. "Can you believe her? Even the Angel was more interested than she was…"

"You mean that you told the Opera Ghost that we were going to Egypt?" asked Raoul. "Whatever for?"

"Well, yes! He should know that we won't be in town; maybe he can travel abroad somewhere while we're gone and take his music around Europe," she said. "That will be nice for him, won't it?"

"I suppose…"

"He can read hieroglyphs, Raoul!" she said.

"When it comes to the Opera Ghost, nothing surprises me anymore," Raoul replied.

"He was able to translate the text on the coffin; your team has found the mummy and treasure of a king called Sethos!"

"Remind me to thank him when I next see him," he answered, somewhat half-heartedly.

"I'm going to go upstairs and pack," said Christine, deciding to ignore Raoul's semi-derisive attitude towards the Phantom.

* * *

Christine lapsed into daydreams as they traveled to Nice. When they boarded the boat to Alexandria, she immediately glanced over the railing of the deck, letting the sea breeze lift her hair. 

Raoul watched her in some amount of wonder; Christine never failed to surprise him. At some times, she would be the serious, deep-thinking young woman who longed for her father. At other times, she would be the budding star of the stage. And on rare occasions, such as today, she would be similar to the young girl that Raoul first met all those years ago. It dawned on him that their first meeting had been by the sea, such as the sea that they were on now. So many things about Christine seemed similar and different now, after all of those years.

"She's certainly excited about this, isn't she, Chagny?" asked the Phantom's voice.

"That's an understatement…" Raoul began, but then he trailed off as he glanced at the speaker. "_You_!? What are you doing here!?"

"What does it look like, Boy? I'm going to Egypt as well," the Phantom replied, stating the obvious.

"No…" said Raoul, in some amount of disbelief. "No, you aren't… Please tell me you aren't…"

"Angel!" Christine exclaimed, as she looked back at them. "Are you coming with us?"

"Indeed," the musician replied. "I thought that I could lend my knowledge of reading hieroglyphs to aid in the expedition."

"_No…_" Raoul thought. "_This __cannot__ be happening…_"

If the Phantom was coming with them, that, in effect, preempted Raoul's plans for a romantic trip with Christine. The Phantom would want Christine's company, as well, and Raoul would be lucky to have so much as a second alone with her.

"But how were you able to afford the ticket?" Christine asked the Phantom.

"I managed to pick up some money during my travels through Europe," the Phantom said.

"But I don't recall seeing you board with the other passengers," she said. "How did you get here?"

"After sneaking through passageways all my life, sneaking aboard a boat was nothing."

"If you had a ticket, why did you bother with sneaking aboard?" asked Raoul. "Why not board like everyone else?"

"Because my mind doesn't work that way, Chagny," he replied.

"I'm amazed that it works at all…" Raoul muttered under his breath.

Thankfully, the Phantom didn't hear him.

"The Opera Ghost never boards a boat, he must sneak aboard it!" the Phantom went on.

"Well, we're certainly glad you decided to come," said Christine. "Aren't we, Raoul?"

"Oh… of course," he replied, successfully disguising the sarcasm in his voice.

"Now if you two will excuse me," said the Phantom. "It is time that the Opera Ghost made his rounds about this ship."

"We'll see you later, then," said Christine, as the Phantom departed. She soon returned to watching the waves.

"_Wonderful…_" Raoul thought, sarcastically. "_Just when I think that Christine and I have this trip to ourselves, I find out otherwise. Is there any way things could get worse…?_"

Some questions are better left unanswered.


	2. Warnings

The boat departed for Alexandria soon after. Raoul spoke to Christine about their itinerary.

"We're not staying in Alexandria," he said. "We'll be leaving immediately for Luxor, but on our way back, we could stop at Giza if that would interest you. And I had planned for us to take a trip down the Nile, but I don't think that will be possible now."

"Because the Angel will be there?" she asked, glancing back at him.

"No, not at all," he replied, quickly. "I realized that summer would not be the best time for such a venture."

"Raoul, you are incapable of lying," she said, with a slight smile. "I never intended for him to invite himself along. But he has never had the chance to enjoy life, so I am happy that he has the chance to now. But you are here, too, and for that, I am even happier."

She kissed him.

Raoul now leaned on the railing beside her as the boat traveled on. The waters around them were crystalline and serene. Every so often, a glimmer of fish scales shone from within the sea.

Raoul was no stranger to the sea; his family had been one of mariners. As such, he was quite at home to the feel of the boat and the occasional mist of seawater that gently swept across his face. Christine, too, seemed at ease in these surroundings.

"Raoul," she said. "You must forgive me for not saying this as often as I should, but I am happy to be with you."

"I always intended for you to be happy," he whispered back, remembering all of the trials and tribulations he had undergone to provide for their future.

The young couple watched as the sun emerged fully from the horizon and began its ascent across the sky. They stood on the deck and talked. They talked about their plans for when they arrived in Egypt, and their hopes for what they would find. Eventually, it was noon.

"Shall we go for lunch?" asked Raoul, almost reluctantly.

She nodded.

* * *

The ship was carrying a vast number of people, most of whom were also planning sightseeing or excavations in Egypt. Raoul felt slightly out-of-place among the well-versed Egyptologists, so it was a bit of a surprise when one of them approached him.

"Would you be, perhaps, the Vicomte de Chagny?" asked a slightly older man.

"I am," he answered.

The man shook his hand and tipped his hat to Christine.

"So you're the one who sponsored the finding of that lost Pharaoh?" he asked. "I read about it in the latest edition of the _Epoch_. I don't know why you'd bother leaving the comforts of home to search through sand dunes when you already have so much in your favor."

"We wouldn't miss this for anything," said Christine, with a slight frown. "Of course we would go."

"You seem to have heard of my family name from that article," said Raoul. "And yours would be…?"

"Ah, forgive me," he replied. "Hoularch is the name, my boy."

"Well, Monsieur Hoularch, we appreciate your concern," said Raoul. "But we both decided to travel to Egypt. And if you don't mind my asking, what brings you to search through sand dunes?"

"Search? Me, dig through rocks and ruins for a moment's fame?" Hoularch asked, erupting into laughter. "I have no desire to do so! No, I am en route to meet my future bride!"

"Oh, how nice for you!" exclaimed Christine.

Hoularch showed them the picture of what seemed to be a local girl.

"Her name is Neferma'at Ishtar; she is supposedly descended from the ancients, and was given that name," he said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I won't remain in your way any longer."

"That was… odd," Raoul remarked. "He seemed like he wanted to talk to me, but ended up talking about his fiancée."

"He must be excited about his wedding, poor man," said Christine, with a shake of her head. "Didn't you want to tell everyone when we were engaged, Raoul?"

"Yes, but I didn't… upon your request, I might add," he replied. "And the Opera Ghost still managed to find out about it."

"Speaking of which, where did he disappear to?" asked Christine, looking around. "Oh, I hope he isn't trying to do anything foolish, like leaving notes around the deck or staterooms…"

* * *

The Phantom, in the meantime, was not leaving notes, but he was carrying on his inspection of the ship. He mused over the near-sightedness of the other passengers; he could have danced in circles around them, and they still wouldn't have spotted him as he crept from shadow to shadow, his sharp eyes scanning everything, down to the last minute detail.

He head heard snippets of conversations as he crept by talkers. But as he passed by a closed stateroom, his ears caught the mention of the name "Chagny."

Of course, he paused at this point, wondering how his former rival's name was being dragged into the conversation. Still hidden, he strained his ears, picking up mentions of the article from the _Epoch_ and something called "Wadjet." But his thoughts were diverted by a voice coming from behind him.

"Didn't you know that it's against the will of Ma'at to eavesdrop?"

His heart skipped a beat, half of him startled, and the other half furious that he had been spotted.

He turned to see a pair of cold eyes glaring at him. A robe-clad stranger was surveying him with a disapproving look.

"I know all about the 42 rules of Ma'at; I read all about those in my younger days," he replied to the stranger, annoyed. "So if you don't mind, kindly leave me to my defiance!"

"But this isn't the first time you've defied Ma'at," the man said. "Is that not true, Erik?"

The visible part of the Phantom's face paled. He was certain that he had never met this stranger, so how on Earth could he have known his name!?

"You claim that you knew the 42 laws, did you not?" the man asked. "And yet, despite the knowledge, you have, in your short lifetime, broken 28 of them!"

"So I have," the Phantom replied, regaining his composure. "Do you have a point to all of this?"

"Ma'at will wreak her vengeance upon you," the man warned. "You cannot and will not escape the crimes you have committed, Erik."

The Phantom didn't reply; he had changed his ways after granting Raoul and Christine permission to marry. Christine's kiss had been the driving force behind his change; she had awakened within him the goodness that had been buried away since he had been a child.

But before he could say another word to his accuser, the man had vanished. There had been no indication that anyone had been there at all; he hadn't left so much as a footprint behind.

"_Good riddance_," the Phantom thought.

Deciding that he had best move on before anyone else spotted him, he did so. But a part of his mind was still uneasy. Many questions surfaced in his consciousness. Who was that stranger? How had he known his name? How had he known that he, Erik, had broken exactly 28 of the ancient laws? And why would ancient laws even hold any force thousands of years afterwards?

And he had to admit to himself that as ridiculous as it was, he had been slightly unnerved by the warning that he would be paying for his previous misdeeds, even if it had come from an unreliable source…

"Opera Ghost?"

The Phantom was startled for a split-second until he realized that he actually recognized the new voice.

"Oh, it's you," he said to Raoul.

"We were wondering where you had gotten to," said Christine. "Are you alright? Your face looks…" She paused, catching herself in time. "You don't look well. It's far past noon; have you eaten anything yet?"

"I'm perfectly fine," he replied, upset that Christine had to see him like this. "I just had a discussion with some fool obsessed with part of an ancient script. But perhaps you are right; maybe I need to eat something."

Raoul watched the Phantom's retreat, with some confusion. The Phantom was not as pleased as when he had last taken his leave of them. What Raoul hadn't realized was that the "ancient script" that the Phantom had referred to had been the Book of the Dead.

* * *

"I've never seen him like that before," Christine was saying, as she and Raoul returned to their stateroom. "Something that the other person said must have really upset him."

"Christine, you have to admit that it isn't all that difficult," said Raoul. "Maybe that person compared his face to a monster from an ancient legend; that would've been enough."

"Maybe you're right, but I still think…" she trailed off as she picked up a folded piece of paper from the ground. "Someone must have slipped this under the door of our room. It's a note…"

"Oh, no…" said Raoul, slapping his forehead.

"No, it's not from him," she said, with a slight roll of her eyes. "It's from Monsieur Hoularch. You were right; he _does_ want to talk to you."

She handed him the note.

"_Chagny, there are several things you should know before you decide to go on with your original plans. My fiancée has told me much, and I fear that this expedition may not be safe for you or your wife. I can't explain things in this note or in the crowded dining hall; I request that the both of you meet with me as soon as possible on the starboard deck; I'll be waiting there for the rest of the day. Take caution when you go. Sincerely, Hoularch._"

"Subtle, isn't he?" Raoul asked, sarcastically.

"What wouldn't be safe?" asked Christine, a worried expression in her eyes. "I understand that there's a danger of sunstroke, but what else is there besides that? Is there really a Pharaoh's curse!?"

"I expect our friend has the answers," said Raoul. "Christine, can you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Can you go down to the dining hall and alert the Opera Ghost about this?" he asked. "Ask him to be within earshot while we have our meeting with Hoularch; I think he deserves to hear whatever Hoularch has to say, since he seems especially concerned about the old scripts."

"Yes, of course," she said. "I'll speak to him right now before he goes on his rounds again."

She kissed Raoul and left as he sat down on the bed and reread the note. Who was this Hoularch, and why did he seem so concerned over what happened to him and Christine?

And then there was the case of the Phantom's mysterious visitor, as well. What had that been about?

And why was any of this even an issue!? Raoul had intended for this trip to be enjoyable for him and Christine. Yes, he could put up with the Phantom, especially now that he was mostly staying out of their way. But why had all of this other talk of dangers and warnings suddenly come up?

A slight movement caught in his peripheral vision distracted him slightly. He looked up from the letter, glancing near the headboard of the bed. Something was moving beneath the sheets.

Raoul cast a derisive glance around the room; he had paid good money for the room, and was more than annoyed that it hadn't even been cleared of vermin. The last thing he needed to worry about now was an infestation of insects.

"_Typical…_" he thought. "_Everyone seems to be following the path of least resistance these days, aren't they…?_"

He pulled back the sheets, determined to see what exactly he had to complain about. But whatever he had been expecting was definitely not what he saw.

Nestled just beneath a pillow, a mere five inches from his hand was a fiery-eyed cobra, its hood outstretched.


	3. The Cobra

Raoul drew his hand back with a second to spare; the serpent struck, but missed him.

Raoul's eyes scanned the room, searching for something he could use to defend himself against the cobra—a knife… a candlestick… anything!

The cobra lunged again, this time landing onto the floor. It raised its body a couple feet off of the ground, aiming to strike again.

Raoul stared the creature down, knowing that a lapse of concentration could end up costing him his life. The cobra was of an odd color; pale, white scales covered its body and its eyes were ruby-red. But that did not change its fangs or its venom; Raoul knew that if even one of those fangs pierced his skin, he would be dead within the hour.

Finding nothing that could be used to fend off the cobra, Raoul resorted to the sheet in his hand. He threw the thick cloth over the serpent like a net. The creature hissed angrily, but Raoul successfully wrapped it in the sheet, praying that its fangs wouldn't be able to penetrate the layers of thick cloth. He overturned the wastebasket upon it and sat back down to catch his breath.

"I couldn't find him," said Christine, retuning. "He has a way of making himself unseen at any moment..." She trailed off as she glanced at Raoul. "Raoul? Are you feeling alright? You don't look well, either…"

"Christine, someone tried to kill us," he replied, wiping sweat from his brow.

"How? When?" she asked.

"Someone set a cobra loose in our room; it's under the wastebasket for now, but we need to get rid of that thing before it escapes."

Christine stared at the overturned trash can, her eyes wide.

"Do you really think someone would do that?" she asked. "Why would anyone kill us for wanting to fund an excavation? This ship probably came from Egypt; maybe it stowed away and just ended up here…"

"I'm still inclined to believe that this wasn't an accident," Raoul answered. "And, either way, we need to speak to the Captain about this."

"Of course," Christine replied. "Shouldn't we ask for someone to get rid of it?"

She cast a frightened glance at the wastebasket as it started hissing again.

"No one in their right mind would come near it…" Raoul said, derisively. "And we don't want whoever left us this 'present' to leave us another one when he realizes that we've gotten rid of this one."

"So you really think this was done on purpose?" she asked. "But who would do such a thing? Hold on… didn't Monsieur Hoularch mention something about some dangers? Maybe he's an undercover officer! We must meet with him immediately!"

"Good idea; we can tell the Opera Ghost later about what we find out…" he trailed off as the serpent hissed again. "But first, we need to get rid of this thing…"

Christine glanced out of the porthole.

"We can throw it overboard," she said, after making sure that there was no one else out there. "And we can tell the captain about it later."

"That may be our best option," he replied. "Christine, I need you stay back until I make sure that he can't escape…"

She kept her distance as Raoul turned the wastebasket right side up, stuffing the cloth-covered mound into it. He carried the hissing trash can to the deck, removed the cloth, and with a quick flip of his wrist, unwrapped the sheet, sending the serpent flying over the side of the ship.

The couple sighed as they heard the cobra's splash-landing into the water, and they finally dared to look at the snake.

"Oh, no…" said Christine. "It can swim…"

"It shouldn't be any problem down there," Raoul assured her. "_I hope…_" he thought to himself.

"What an interesting color for a cobra, though," she said, as it swam out of sight. "I always thought that they were brown; this one looks white… Should we see the captain now?"

"In a moment; I think now is as good a time as any to meet with Hoularch and see what he has to say about why we should go back home."

* * *

The Phantom had told the Chagnys that he was going to go for lunch, but in all truth, he wasn't hungry. He was still concerned over the strange visitor who had told him about the laws of Ma'at. He tried to go over the laws in his mind, trying to figure out which ones he had broken. But his memory was betraying him; perhaps he was subconsciously forgetting them.

"_What's wrong with me…?_" he asked, furious with himself. "_Why am I letting myself be bothered with this!? I am the Opera Ghost, master of the Opera Populaire! I am not bound by ancient laws!_"

His confident air was slowly returning as he reassured himself of who he was. His concerns seemed ridiculous now. It was a good thing that he hadn't told the Chagnys about it; they would have thought him insane.

His thoughts were diverted by finding an abandoned copy of the _Epoch_. The article itself didn't say much, but it did mention that a Pharaoh's grave goods had been found, with a monetary value that was possibly beyond all imagination. But other than that, the Phantom saw no reason why anyone was getting so carried away by the discovery… unless someone desperately wanted to get their hands on the treasures.

He couldn't deny that the prospect of ancient gold was tempting; after living off a monthly salary of 20,000 francs (that had later stopped altogether), one piece of the Pharaoh's treasure would be enough to sustain him for years. He could travel far and wide, playing his music in the four corners of the earth.

"_Don't even go down that path_," he chided himself, trying to banish the enticing thought. "_Your music will be heard, regardless of the money…_"

And yet, he had to ask himself… Would anyone miss one little piece of gold?

"_Fool! Christine would refuse to let you take anything!_" his conscience snarled. "_She would never approve! And you've disillusioned the poor girl enough as it is!_"

The Phantom tossed the article aside. His arrival in Egypt would be the ultimate test of his integrity, he realized. Maybe that mysterious man was right, and he hadn't changed from his old ways as he thought he had.

He would just have to wait and find out.

* * *

"Ah, you made it!" said Hoularch, as he greeted Raoul and Christine. "Not a moment too soon…"

"We got your message," said Christine, showing the note he had sent. "Did Mademoiselle Ishtar tell you anything that we need to know?"

"Indeed she has," he said. "Have you heard of _heka_?"

The couple shook their heads.

"The ancient Egyptians believed in a magic called _heka_ that was the embodiment of all of the spells and rituals they performed," explained Hoularch.

"Don't tell me it's real…" said Raoul, skeptically.

"_Heka_ was supposedly used by the ancient priests and kings, according to my fiancée," he said. "And it is said that vestiges of _heka_ remain in ancient objects, which is why you'll never see me digging through the sand for them."

"And that's why we have to go back?" asked Raoul, in disbelief. "Because we might unleash some of this _heka_?"

"Not you," said Hoularch. "There are dangerous people out there who are after the riches and the _heka_. And they will stop at nothing to get what they want. Neferma'at says she has seen many a traveler perish at their hands. That's why I intend to marry her quickly and have the two of us return to Europe before they go after her."

"They are after Mademoiselle Ishtar?" asked Christine, concerned.

"She is a local girl; as such, she knows much about heka and the way things were," Hoularch explained.

"Did cobras have anything to do with _heka_?" Raoul asked, casually.

"Indeed, they did. Have you noticed the cobras on the headdresses of the Pharaohs? Her name is Wadjet; she was a goddess in the old days. The ancients believed in all sorts of magical animals and monsters. There was Ra, the winged creature that was the sun. There was Anubis, the jackal-headed man who determined if a person was good or evil. Then, there was Ammit, the crocodile-hippo-lion that ate the souls of the evil after Anubis determined their status… There's so many of them. And Neferma'at mentioned to me the other day about the Pharaoh your team just found… legend has it that a thief supposedly tried to rob his palace once while he was king, and they found the thief wandering the streets the next day, completely a nervous wreck. He mentioned something about a monster that would be unleashed upon anyone who brought harm to the king."

"Do you think that would hold true _after_ his death?" asked Christine, her eyes wide (though with interest, not fear).

"We don't even know if there's any truth to that; it was an inscription found on the king's empty tomb that was discovered all those years ago," said Hoularch.

"If his mummy and treasures were all moved to an unmarked cave, I'd doubt that the monster ever existed," said Raoul.

"Perhaps," agreed Hoularch. "It was a legend, after all. We don't know how much about the _heka_ actually holds true. But the thieves are real."

"That doesn't surprise me," admitted Raoul. "Nor does it deter me from wanting to proceed with the excavation."

"I agree," said Christine. "But thank you for your concern, Monsieur Hoularch."

"I felt as though it was my duty to warn you," he said. "What you decide to do next is up to you. I wish you well, my friends."

"Best wishes for your wedding," said Christine.

* * *

The Chagnys left soon after, keen to discuss the matter with each other, but they came across the Phantom on their way back to their stateroom.

"Where did you two vanish to?" he asked them.

"What do you mean?" asked Christine, slightly teasing him. "You vanished first, so we decided to vanish ourselves and see if we could find you!"

The Phantom let out an amused sigh.

"You're looking much better," she complimented him.

"I just needed to clear my head," he insisted.

"_That shouldn't have been too difficult…_" Raoul thought to himself, trying not to roll his eyes.

"We met a new friend," Christine told the Phantom. "He was telling us about all of these legends, including one about a monster that might still be around, making sure we don't steal anything when we get there. Isn't that just intriguing!?"

Raoul was slightly amused; he wasn't sure how she would have reacted to the warnings that Hoularch had given them. Neither warnings nor stray cobras were going to lower her expectations for this journey.

The Phantom didn't seem to share in Christine's enthusiasm; he had, after all, just had a dialogue with himself on whether or not he was going to try to claim a piece of treasure for himself. And the last thing he needed at the moment was another ancient legend that he needed to heed and worry about after struggling to put Ma'at out of his mind.

"So I take that you don't think that the white cobra was meant to be a threat?" Raoul asked Christine, who had to ponder over this thought.

"What white cobra?" asked the Phantom.

"Somehow, a white cobra got into our stateroom," Raoul explained. "It's overboard now, but we're still not sure as to how it got there. I say it was no accident, but Christine thinks it may have found its way there on its own."

"Actually, after hearing Monsieur Hoularch's warnings, I'm staring to agree with you," admitted Christine. "It could be a gang of thieves trying to stop us. What do you think, Angel?"

The Phantom merely shrugged. But he knew very well that it sometimes took a thief to catch another. And that would be his area of expertise.


	4. Of Dreams and Letters

The Chagnys spent the rest of the day making sure that their stateroom was devoid of anything else that possessed venom. With the search coming up blissfully empty, they paused for dinner and decided to speak to the captain about the cobra that had attacked Raoul earlier.

"A white cobra?" the captain asked, after Raoul and Christine told him what happened. "Are you sure you didn't see something else?"

"_I suppose it could have been a giant worm with teeth_," Raoul thought, sarcastically.

"It is true," insisted Christine. "Raoul was the one who got rid of it, but we're curious as to how it could have gotten aboard in the first place."

"I should thank you, Vicomte, for clearing the ship of that pest, but I am afraid that I can offer no plausible explanation," said the captain. "We travel to and from Egypt every week; it would have been too easy for the snake to have stowed away on board and hidden from us. But why do you suggest that someone left it there in your room specifically?"

"Let's just say that it wouldn't have been the first attempt on my life," Raoul replied. "I've gotten more than a little used to defending myself."

Christine looked as though she was about to say something, but decided against it.

"Are you suggesting that someone might be trying to kill you in order to steal the treasure your crew found?" asked the captain, showing them the article in the paper.

Raoul went over the article as Christine shrugged in reply to the captain's query.

"On second thoughts, it could very well have been a coincidence that the cobra found its way to our room," said Raoul, handing the paper back. "It's not as though we're going to hoard that find; we promised the Board of Antiquities that we would not take the artifacts out of Egypt. It's even mentioned in here that everything will go to the Cairo Museum."

"_Why is he suddenly changing his mind?_" Christine wondered, trying not to show her bewilderment. "_Especially after convincing me that it was left there on purpose…?_"

"I hope the rest of your journey is safe and uneventful," said the captain, with a shake of his head. "Good day, Vicomte."

Raoul gave him a slight nod of acknowledgment and left with Christine, returning to the deck.

"Raoul, why did you—?"

"Because it never mentioned once in that article that we would be leaving immediately for Egypt," said Raoul. "So how did the thieves find out that we were aboard?"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I don't trust the captain… or anyone else in the crew," Raoul answered. "They knew beforehand that we would be coming, and what stateroom we would be in."

"An inside contact for the thieves!?" asked Christine. "But then… it's not only the two of us who are in danger; what about the Angel? We have to warn him!"

"He may not be in the same amount of danger as us, Christine," said Raoul. "Anyone would think that he only came aboard to keep his eye on you."

"Raoul…" she said, with a slight roll of her eyes; she knew he was only being half-serious with that remark. But then her thoughts trailed off. "He didn't come with us to see the captain; where did he go now?"

"One of the greatest unsolved mysteries of our time," Raoul mused. "One that could rival the secrets of ancient Egypt…"

That brought a smile to Christine's face, as Raoul had intended.

* * *

Being the solitary loner that he was, the Phantom had long since returned to his stateroom to work on some new pieces of music. He, too, had gone over the room once after hearing about the cobra, and he also found nothing-- no snakes... no scorpions... and no grasshoppers, either.

He did not like the idea of Christine in danger; ever since she had first come to the Opera Populaire as a child, had had considered himself to be her guardian. He had spent countless days watching over her, making sure that nothing made her unhappy. That was why Carlotta had often been the target of his shenanigans; she had tried to make Christine unhappy.

He chuckled to himself, remembering how, through Carlotta, he had redefined the phrase "frog in the throat." Of course, that was also the night he had lost Christine to Raoul. He wasn't so sure if he had been able to forgive the viscount for that. Oh, he knew that the boy loved Christine; the fact that he was willing to die for her practically screamed it.

But it wasn't as though that he, the Phantom, did not love her any less; he just never had the chance to show that he would also be willing to lose everything for her. Even so, Christine was Raoul's responsibility now, he realized. And no matter what the danger, the boy would rather see himself dead than her; and during the time of their rivalry, the Phantom was willing to hold him to it. Now… well, he had reached a point where he no longer wished Raoul dead; in fact, he had been concerned for both of them when he had heard about the cobra.

And yet Christine was first and foremost in his heart. But she was happy with the viscount; anyone could see that—even him. And she still left the Phantom a place in her heart, albeit as a friendship. But he was willing to accept it.

He continued to write, but paused upon noticing a piece of papyrus that had been placed amongst the sheet music. It was written in hieroglyphs, but what startled him most was the sight of his own name in the ancient script.

"_One through fourteen of twenty-eight laws of Ma'at broken by Erik, the Phantom of the Opera_," it read. "_Firstly: Ma'at bears witness that the accused has sinned. Secondly: the accused, knowing full well of Her laws, chose to deny Her. Third: the accused has committed evil acts on several occasions. Fourth: from youth, the accused has wallowed in excessive self-pity for his condition instead of choosing to change it. Fifth: the accused has taken residence in the cellars of property that does not rightfully belong to him. Sixth and seventh: by declaring himself master of aforementioned land, the accused is guilty of arrogance and excessive pride. Eighth, ninth, and tenth: the accused has lied, cheated, and stolen during his time in the Opera Populaire. Eleventh: food has been stolen by the accused in vast quantities. Twelfth and thirteenth: the accused has hoarded more than what was necessary and has shown avarice for more. Fourteenth: the accused has uttered cries in anger against those who did not comply with his demands. The remaining fourteen accusations will not be disclosed now; they will instead be declared at the trial of Erik, the Phantom of the Opera, which will be held as soon as the witness for the prosecution has been brought before the judge who serves as the eyes, ears, and mouth for Ma'at._"

"What madness is this!?" the Phantom asked aloud. "What is this… trial supposed to be!? That robed fool must have left this here…"

He glanced around the room, half expecting the mysterious man to suddenly materialize before him. Was he one of those thieves that Christine had mentioned, trying to unnerve him? He couldn't dismiss the man as a random thief; the man had known about his youth in detail. But how?

He glanced back at the papyrus, hoping that it would yield some answers.

"'Witness for the prosecution'…?" he quoted derisively. "Don't tell me he's going to bring in a statue of Ma'at and claim _that_ as his witness…"

He angrily tore the papyrus to shreds. It was his own ploy being used against him—leaving notes around to unnerve the recipient. And he was furious about being on the receiving end.

"Who are you!?" he asked aloud. "What do you want of me!?"

There was no reply, and then another thought crossed the Phantom's mind. How had the man entered the locked room to leave the papyrus in the first place? Either there was some sort of passageway, or he had used a skeleton key.

He forced himself to calm down. At least there was one consolation: if there _was_ a secret passageway in the room, his instincts would find it faster than he could say, "Opera Ghost."

* * *

The Phantom wasn't the only one suffering from the thoughts of haunting myths; his former rival was having a fitful sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, the image of the white cobra appeared before Raoul. At times it would be glaring at him. At other times, it would strike, nearly missing him.

"I thought I got rid of you…" Raoul said to it.

Then, the cobra spoke to him, in a feminine voice.

"Fool!" she hissed. "I am here to protect my Pharaoh! You can never be rid of me s-s-s-s-so long as you s-s-s-s-seek to lay your hands on his treasures!"

"_What malevolence is this!?_" Raoul thought, backing away from the serpent. "_How can it speak!?_"

"Go on!" she taunted him. "Run! Retreat! I will not leave you!"

The cobra's eyes turned blue, as though she was about to shed her skin. Sure enough, she began to grow, her fangs along with her. Then, limbs and wings sprouted from her body as she still continued to grow.

Raoul searched for his sword in the darkness, remembering too late that he had left it behind in Paris. The creature before him continued to grow. Without any sort of defense, he knew he wouldn't last more than five seconds. He chose to fled, uttering prayers as he ran.

"I will pursue you until the end of days!" the monster vowed.

He could feel the creature's breath down his neck and could feel the force of her wing-beats. She was right overhead. He dared to look, and, in that split-second, he saw the giant fangs bearing down upon him.

With a gasp, he awoke, sweat pouring down his face.

Falling back onto his pillow, he silently cursed Hoularch for ever telling him the story of the Pharaoh's monster, and at the same time, thanked the Heavens that it had only been a dream.

* * *

"Nothing…" the Phantom muttered, having spent hours searching for a passageway. "So the fool must have had some sort of key…"

Like Raoul, he concluded that whoever the visitor was had to have some help from someone in the crew. Although he was grateful that he wasn't finding venomous creatures hidden in his room, the prospect of some sort of spy driving him crazy with the laws of Ma'at was incredibly annoying.

And the worst part was that he couldn't complain about it; the minute he showed his masked face, he would be recognized as the Opera Ghost and would be reported. And there was no point in telling Raoul and Christine; Raoul would dismiss it as a trick by the thieves, and Christine would be so intrigued that she would probably start investigating on her own and end up in trouble.

But how could a gang of tomb robbers know his name and his past? It was, by all accounts, impossible. Unless…

"The traveling circus…" he muttered.

He had spent six years as a sideshow attraction in his younger days. Perhaps some of the ne'er-do-wells had broken away from troupe and started tomb robbing as a way to put food in their mouths. They had obviously remembered him and were continuing with their former favorite pastime of taunting him. He certainly wasn't about to let them continue with it.

* * *

The Phantom and the Chagnys were all exceedingly wary over the next few days of the voyage. Raoul and Christine made it a point that one of them would be in their stateroom at all times, keeping alert for anyone else loitering in their corridor. The Phantom furiously haunted the corridors, determined to lasso and interrogate anyone who came within twelve feet of his stateroom.

Both of these attempts didn't result in any findings; either the perpetrators had assumed that they had done enough for now, or they were aware that their victims were keeping eyes and ears out for them.

Raoul, in the meantime, was determined to find out more about the gang of thieves that Hoularch had mentioned. He had requested a glance at the passenger list, but it told him nothing; the only suspicious one aboard seemed to be the Phantom, and he seemed highly vexed about something himself. He spoke to Hoularch again, who had informed him that his fiancée had told only what she had dared.

"In fact, I would have put off the wedding for a little bit longer had it not been for her fears of them finding her," he informed Raoul.

Raoul thanked him and returned to Christine.

"You mustn't be so hard on yourself," she said, sensing his frustration. "Perhaps, once we arrive, we can outdistance whoever it is who tried to kill us."

That was only half of Raoul's fears; he hadn't told her about the dream with the cobra becoming the Pharaoh's monster. And he couldn't help but wonder if they would be any safer off of the boat than they were now.


	5. The Treasures of the Pharaoh

The boat pulled into port within a few hours. The Phantom and the Chagnys had to admit that they weren't going to miss the ship too much, though Raoul and the Phantom both refused to let it on that either of them were the slightest bit worried about what lay ahead. Christine, of course, was too excited to worry; she was sporting her new sun hat, and she was eager to get to the Valley of the Kings.

The trip to Luxor was blissfully uneventful; Raoul's wealth had allowed the Chagnys to take a more luxurious trip via barge up the Nile (they had already checked for cobras upon boarding, not in the mood for new surprises). Raoul hadn't intended to pay for the Phantom's passage, but the look in Christine's eyes had been impossible to resist, and he reluctantly allowed him to come along. The former rivals didn't speak a word to each other. Christine spent the journey conversing with both of them; she had tried to get them to talk to each other, but gave up after some time.

"Ah, here you two are!" exclaimed a familiar voice.

"Monsieur Hoularch!" said Christine, greeting him. "Your fiancée is in Thebes, then?"

"Aye, that she is!" he replied, with a grin. He paused as he noticed the Phantom, raiding an eyebrow at his half-masked face. "I don't believe we've met, Monsieur… You are…?"

"Oh, he is a friend of ours," Christine said.

Raoul gave her a look that clearly read, "He's _your_ friend…"

"Monsieur Hoularch, this is my music teacher, Erik," Christine went on, trying not to roll her eyes at her husband's expression. "Erik, this is the friend we met on board the ship, Monsieur Hoularch."

The Phantom nodded in acknowledgment, not really one to socialize. Raoul was in no mood to talk either; by his choice, he and Christine would have been alone by now. Hoularch sensed the less-than-friendly mood and decided to leave, bidding Christine good day.

She turned back to her companions, slightly exasperated.

"You two are impossible…" she said, with a shake of her head.

* * *

They bid one last farewell to Hoularch as they all departed the barge upon reaching near Luxor. The head of the expedition greeted Raoul.

"Welcome, Monsieur le Vicomte!" he said, pleased that he had arrived at last. "Your journey was enjoyable, I trust?"

"Oh, naturally…" Raoul answered, half-tempted to say otherwise, especially when Christine exchanged a bemused glance with him. The Phantom's eyes also rolled heavenwards.

"This place is amazing, though…" Christine said, as they headed to the Valley of the Kings.

"Indeed," he replied. "This city has been here for thousands of years, and was, at times, the capital… Back then, the city was known as Thebes. Many a great Pharaoh has ruled from this city."

"And many a Pharaoh buried here with his wealth, too…" the Phantom murmured, glancing at the numerous tombs carved into the cliffs. "A scrap of gold… a fragment of a gem…"

"Did you say something?" asked Christine, glancing back at him with raised eyebrows.

"Nothing…"

"Well, there is plenty for you to see," said the man (oblivious to their conversation), as he led them to the cave. He handed Raoul a lit torch. "I think you shall find this most intriguing."

Raoul held the torch out as they entered. His jaw fell open as he heard Christine gasp in amazement behind him.

A large sarcophagus was lying at the far end of the cave. But between the entrance and the coffin were a host of objects, carefully placed. Alabaster jars and small figurines were placed right next to the sarcophagus, small statues (of the king, his wife, and various ancient deities) made of gold and other materials were everywhere, scrolls upon scrolls of papyrus were heaped in a corner, and a collection of vases, withered clothes, shoes, bows, arrows, swords, and other objects that the Pharaoh had prized were there with him. A large golden palanquin (which had undoubtedly been used by the late king) was also present in the cave.

"We haven't moved a thing," the man said. "We were instructed not to do so until you arrived and gave us permission. If you so grant, we can begin to remove the objects immediately."

Raoul hesitated for a moment, remembering the dream, but he hastily pushed the thought aside.

"Granted," he said, amazed that he was able to speak at all.

But he could not have guessed that before he had spoken, one of the items _had_ been moved. While everyone else had been staring amazed at the objects around them, the Phantom had unobtrusively slipped a tiny golden statue of the Pharaoh and his queen, standing hand in hand, into his pocket. But no one had noticed, except for his own conscience.

"_Put it back, you fool!_" his mind hissed at him. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to do so. In the end, he rationalized his actions by saying that this one piece of treasure could be used as bait to lure out the dangerous band of thieves that the Chagnys had mentioned on the boat. And if he had to "masquerade" as a thief to do so, so be it. And if he did manage to outwit them, well, then… the piece of gold would be rightfully his for having done so! And if he didn't outwit them, or if they never showed up, he could still claim the gold for trying.

* * *

One by one, the members of the excavation numbered and brought out each artifact, starting with the items in the front of the cave. First, the large palanquin emerged. It was soon discovered that it had been fashioned specifically for the king; the image of Pharaoh Sethos had been carved in the gold upon it, the cartouche bearing his name was carved below him. Beside him, the image of his faithful queen had also been carved, and she, too, had her name written in hieroglyphs, which the Phantom had been able to translate.

"Túaa…" he read, and his thoughts turned briefly to the gold figurine in his pocket. The thought of betraying Christine's trust in him was haunting, but he would have to convince her (and himself) that this was something he had to do, even though he wasn't sure of the reason for it.

"Look at all of his swords and armor…" said Christine, as they, too, were brought out into the open.

"He must have been one of those warrior kings," said Raoul, taking one of the massive shields to inspect.

"Monsieur, look at this!" the expedition head exclaimed, showing Raoul a silver figurine of a strange creature.

Raoul froze; it resembled the creature he had dreamed about. He wished he could have written it off as a coincidence, but how could he? He had never seen an image of the creature, and yet he had dreamt about it!

"Monsieur, do you realize what a find this is?" the man said, not noticing Raoul's expression. "Silver was very rare in ancient Egypt; for them, it was more valuable than gold! To find a figurine of silver is amazing!"

"Yes, well done…" Raoul said, trying to put on a false smile.

"Raoul, dearest, is something wrong?" Christine asked him in an undertone as the man went back into the cave. "I thought you would be happy to find something like that…"

"I'm fine, Christine," he assured her, giving her a quick kiss. "Ah, here come the papyrus rolls…"

The Phantom immediately started glancing through them.

"What we have here is the unabridged biography of the king," he announced. "This tells everything about this Pharaoh's life. Apparently, his initial fortune with love was as poor as mine…"

"What are you talking about?" asked Raoul, though he already knew exactly what his former rival was referring to.

"He never got to marry his first love either," he said. "Apparently, his first love was murdered. Then, months later, this Túaa arrived in Thebes…"

"And what do you read into that?" asked Raoul.

"Not a thing," the Phantom replied. "Túaa never intended to win the Pharaoh's heart. But the two of them were eventually wedded."

Christine placed her hand on the Phantom's shoulder.

"And I pray that your story has an ending as happy as possible," she said, with the utmost sincerity.

He nodded, knowing that she was trying to apologize for whatever heartbreak she had been responsible for.

"It wasn't your fault," the Phantom said.

"Of course not," said Raoul, derisively. "_I'm_ the one you blame."

"Chagny--"

"That's why you tried to hang me--"

"You always arrive at snap judgments--" the Phantom began.

"Oh, stop it, both of you!" ordered Christine.

At her request, they halted the argument, turning their attention back to the artifacts. Christine's normal disposition soon returned as more and more artifacts were brought out.

"Oh, look!" she exclaimed, holding a small _ushebti_ in her hand. "You have to admire the detail they put into everything…"

"Make way!" a voice yelled form within the cave. "We're bringing out the sarcophagus!"

The Chagnys and the Phantom all stood back as a crowd of archaeologists brought the sarcophagus and laid it on the ground.

"How about it, then?" asked the head of the team. "Shall we look upon the face of the king, Monsieur?"

"By all means," said Raoul.

Everyone watched with baited breath as the lid was forced off. And there the ancient king rested, sunlight striking his serene, regal face for the first time in 2900 years. Traces of brown hair still remained on his head, and he was holding a withered, dried flower in his hand, no doubt placed there by Túaa.

"Oh, the poor man…" whispered Christine.

"He lived and ruled long as Pharaoh," the expedition team informed her. "He would have been as revered as a deity back in the day."

"Then we should give him honors worthy of a king," said Raoul. "Don't draw out the observations any longer than you have to. He deserves a place of honor, not an unmarked cave."

"As you wish, Monsieur," he replied, placing the lid of the sarcophagus back. "We shall be placing all that we found in the camp until everything is ready to be sent to the museum. Would you like to join us back at the camp for a celebration banquet tonight?"

The others agreed.

* * *

After dinner, Raoul had a lengthy discussion with the team about what to do with the artifacts and mummy that they had found. The Phantom was off to the side, reading through all of the papyrus scrolls, which the head of the team had requested him to do. He had accepted, thinking that he could use this task as further rationale to claim the golden figurines for himself.

"As per your request, Monsieur, we will try to move as quickly as possible," the team leader assured him.

Raoul thanked him and went outside to find Christine. The sun had set by this time, and she was holding a lit candle in her hand as she looked up into the starry sky.

"Christine?" Raoul asked.

She turned and greeted him.

"I was holding a vigil for Sethos," she said. "I know it's rather late in coming, and that he probably had a grander one all those years ago, but I felt that it was the right thing to do."

"I'm sure he appreciates it," Raoul said. "You have a genuinely kind heart, Christine. Anyone can see that, whether Vicomte, Pharaoh, or Opera Ghost."

She smiled, her bright eyes reflecting the dancing candlelight.

"I'm glad we're here, Raoul," she said. "And I'm glad that you're with me."

Raoul was about to reply when a loud cracking sound filled the air.

"What on Earth…?" Christine began, startled. "Raoul, what was that!?"

"Wasn't that coming from where we left the artifacts?" asked Raoul.

He exchanged glances with Christine, and the young couple headed in the direction of the sound.


	6. The Thieves Strike

The Chagnys headed back to the camp, meeting the Phantom and the team of archaeologists as they all headed out to investigate the strange sound.

The tent which had held all of the artifacts had been torn to shreds, and the artifacts themselves were gone; everything, including the sarcophagus and Sethos himself had been replaced with a gaping hole that was quickly filling with sand, save for one or two objects that had been out of range of the hole. But these objects were also being carried by the falling sand into the pit. The archaeologists scrambled to save them, succeeding in retrieving only a few statues and figurines.

"How could have this have happened!?" gasped Christine, horrified.

In answer to her query, one of the archaeologists pulled several pickaxes from the sand.

"So that's it…" Raoul fumed. "Someone dug a hole under the tent in order to cause the objects to fall in…"

He trailed off at the look on the Phantom's face, as he stared at something, behind them.

"What is it now…?" Raoul asked.

"That cat!" the masked man exclaimed, his eyes wide in disbelief.

They all turned to see a large statue of Bastet, the ancient cat goddess, moving across the sand of its own accord.

No one spoke; they stared in silence at the impossible sight.

"How is it doing that!?" asked Christine.

"I intend to find out…" vowed Raoul, chasing after the fleeing feline.

"Raoul, no!" she cried out, but he tore after the moving statue.

He was within feet of the mobile statue when another series of cracking sounds emerged from around him. Plumes of sand erupted around him. The sand swirled around the young viscount, blocking him from the view of the others.

"RAOUL!" Christine screamed.

Raoul couldn't see a thing due to the sand around him, but he felt a crushing blow on his shoulder. Raoul struck back at the hidden enemy, and felt his fist connect with a jaw. There was a cry from his assailant, who retreated behind the cover of sand. More plumes of sand erupted around him, and now Raoul shielded himself until they stopped. He got to his feet as the sand settled down, but by this time, the attacker and the Bastet statue had vanished.

"Raoul!" Christine called again. She, the Phantom, and the others were now running over to him. "Dearest, are you alright!?"

"I suppose…" he replied, trying to brush the sand out of his blond hair. He was visibly furious.

Christine embraced him, relieved.

"You are lucky you escaped from that, Monsieur," said the head of the team. "We feared that you had fallen into another pit."

"No, but there was someone else there…" said Raoul. "I couldn't see who it was, but he took the statue and ran. What do we do now? All we have left are a few figurines, a couple swords, a goblet, and some scrolls."

"They'll be enough," said the Phantom. "Whoever orchestrated the disappearance of everything else will come back for the rest of it."

"Too true," said one of the excavators. "We still have the rare silver figure of the Pharaoh's monster; that will be irresistible. And they know we have it, for our inventory list is gone. Perhaps it would be best if you held onto it, Vicomte."

Raoul stared at the figurine with some amount of hesitance; he was none too keen on keeping it, especially after dreaming about it. Christine sensed Raoul's thoughts, concerned for her beloved.

"I will take it, if you please, Monsieur," she said, and she accepted the odd piece of silver artwork.

"As there's nothing better to do, I shall go back and translate the rest of those scrolls before they end up vanishing," the Phantom replied, irked at having been outsmarted by the thieves; a huge sinkhole to steal the treasures would have been a ploy worthy of himself.

Christine sighed as the Phantom retreated.

"He's right…" she said. "There's nothing we can do for now; we can only wait and see what develops."

* * *

It was days before anything did develop. No one had attempted to steal the silver figure, even though the word had been spread that the team had saved such a rare discovery.

But finally, they had a breakthrough. Christine had noticed a picture in the paper that showed the runaway Bastet statue for sale. She ran to the tent where the others were meeting, jubilant.

"Raoul! Angel!" she exclaimed. "I found something!"

"That's the one!" confirmed the excavation head, looking over the trio's shoulder. "If memory serves me correctly, that looks like one of the marketplaces in Abydos. It's northwest of here, about--"

He was cut off by something zoomed by in front of his face, causing Raoul, Christine, the Phantom, and everyone else present to look up to see two new holes in the tent, one on the left side, and one on the right.

"What was _that_?" the Phantom demanded.

As if to answer him, an arrow appeared out of nowhere, striking the table. An instant later, more arrows started zooming by.

"They're back!" Raoul yelled, furious. "We're not safe in here!"

He led the others out of the tent, trying to shield Christine as best he could as they ran for it. More arrows, as well as a few sharp javelins, rained over their heads; their assailants were keeping careful distance so that they couldn't be seen. Fortunately, that meant that they couldn't see, either.

A young woman had exited a small stone house to see what the commotion was about, and she was astounded to see the well-dressed group of people running for their lives. And she saw cloaked riders approaching from the horizon.

"In here!" she called, waving to them. "Quickly, before they capture you!"

Raoul looked back to see the mounted bowmen. He then glanced at two of Sethos's swords that one of the archaeologists was carrying with him as he ran. He was tempted to take the swords and fight, hoping that he could get some sort of clue as to what had happened to the treasures, but he knew that he would stand no chance against the thieves.

"Chagny, _you're_ the sponsor of this expedition," said the Phantom, narrowly dodging an arrow. "Either get us out of here, or take her offer!"

Raoul turned back to the young woman.

"Alright," he said at last. "We'll trust you."

She led them into the house and followed them, sealing the entrance behind her. They were thrown into darkness for a split-second, but she lit a lamp soon after.

"Are you all alright?" she asked. "You look exhausted and hungry… Come with me; I will give you all a place to rest and some food to eat."

She headed down the hallway. Raoul exchanged glances with Christine, who shrugged in reply.

"Well, she _did_ save us…" she said. "That's in her favor, isn't it?"

Raoul nodded in agreement, and led the others as he followed the girl. She led them to a furnished sitting room.

"Do you live here by yourself?" the Phantom asked.

"Oh, not at all!" she replied. "Mother! Father!"

An older couple entered the room from within another one, amazed at seeing the others.

"_Who are these strangers?_" the man asked in his native tongue, though the Phantom was able to understand him.

"_They were being attacked, Father; I couldn't leave them to die!_" she protested.

"_Do you not understand the risks of having outsiders in here!?_"

"_What was I to do!?_"

"_Enough, Techu,_" said the woman. "_She did what was right._"

The man eventually relented, and the woman now addressed the others in English.

"Welcome, my friends," she said. "I am Sopdet Ishtar. He is my husband, Techu, and the girl who rescued you is our daughter, Neferma'at."

"_You're_ Neferma'at!?" Christine blurted out, amazed.

But she couldn't have been more amazed than Neferma'at herself.

"Do I know you!?" the girl asked, bewildered. "I am sure I have never seen you before…"

"No… forgive me," said Christine, smiling apologetically. "I heard your name mentioned somewhere before…"

"If you don't mind my asking, where exactly did you hear my name?"

"Oh, from a friend of ours—your fiancé," Christine explained. "And forgive me for not congratulating you on your upcoming wedding sooner!"

Neferma'at smiled, though in Raoul's opinion, it seemed like rather a forced smile.

"Oh, you mean this is that Hoularch's intended?" asked the Phantom.

Christine nodded.

"So when is the big day?" she asked Neferma'at, intrigued.

"Well, we're not sure yet, but it should be soon," she replied. "I'm looking quite forward to moving to France."

Raoul remembered what Hoularch had told him about marrying her because of what she knew about the thieves. It struck him as odd that Hoularch himself wasn't here; when Christine had been threatened during their engagement, Raoul had hardly left her side for fear of what would have happened. So where had Hoularch run off to? He couldn't have come down with cold feet, could he? But Raoul was more interested in what Neferma'at knew about the thieves. He knew that he couldn't start asking questions until they had explained their situation first, but he was willing to wait in order to figure out what exactly they were up against.

"Please, sit down," said Neferma'at. "I'll bring you some food."

* * *

Within minutes, everyone had been refreshed with freshly-prepared pomegranate juice and a variety of flavorful dishes. Neferma'at continued to as act hostess towards them all as her parents watched nervously, not sure if these strangers could be fully trusted.

"Now, think twice before you decide to sample this," she said, placing a dish of spice-garnished appetizer before them. "It's quite…" she trailed off as the Phantom helped himself without so much as a flinch. "It's quite spicy…" she finished, eyebrows raised.

"Don't mind me," the musician replied.

The girl smiled in amusement as Raoul shook his head in exasperation.

"I do not believe you told me who you were…" Neferma'at said. "What brings you all here? And why were those men after you?"

Raoul and Christine explained the story to them, and how they had discovered that some of the items had made it to Abydos.

"It is commendable that you would go through so much trouble to rescue Sethos and his treasures," said Techu. "But you needn't try so hard."

Sopdet agreed.

"It is far too dangerous to get involved with thieves such as those," she said. "Their leader is a cruel man… he is supposedly a descendant of an ancient mad thief."

"Rest assured, he shall not get away with his crimes," Techu added. "He will be brought to justice by the judges of Ma'at."

The Phantom nearly choked on his hors d'oeuvre at the mention of Ma'at, causing Raoul and Christine to both glance at him.

"A bit too much pepper…" he assured them, though the couple found it difficult to believe.

"My friends, have faith that Sethos will be at rest and that he will have justice," said Sopdet. "Please go home before any more misfortune falls upon you. Our concern is genuine; we do not want to see you harmed in any way."

Christine exchanged glances with Raoul again. Raoul, in the meantime, had noticed that Neferma'at had been biting her lip, as though she wanted to tell them something.

And when Techu and Sopdet excused themselves, she got her chance.

"They're only telling you this for your safety," she assured them. "But if you really want help, I can show you the way."

"I don't intend to return to Paris until I ensure that the pharaoh is at rest," Raoul insisted.

"Then you have all that you need to proceed," she said, pointing to the large white goblet that one of the others was carrying.

"But… there's nothing on it…" said Christine, looking at it. "It's completely blank!"

"It is now, but not for long…" said Neferma'at. She took the object from the man and placed it on the table. She then doused the lamps, and placed a small candle inside the goblet. She then lit a match.

"What are you doing!?" asked Raoul. "You'll ruin the goblet if you light the candle in it!"

"It's not a goblet, Viscount," she said. "It's meant to be a lamp."

"But I don't think--"

Raoul was silenced as the candle within the lamp glowed. As the flame grew brighter, pictures and hieroglyphs magically appeared on the outside of the previously blank lamp.

"Is that possible!?" asked Christine, eyes wide in wonder. "Is it some sort of magic!?"

"No one knows," said Neferma'at. "I was only taught how to get it to work…" She trailed off, realizing that she had said too much.

There was an awkward silence.

"The pictures you see are of Pharaoh Sethos performing a ritual to the gods at his temple at Abydos," she said at last. "It is my guess that the thieves are storing his things there; it would be the most obvious place to look, so no one would bother. Now look here…" She turned the lamp around to reveal a map and more hieroglyphs. "Here is the temple layout. And if you will notice, a special chamber has an underground passageway. That passageway leads to an underground network of tunnels, and one of them runs all the way for eighty miles until it reaches the Valley of the Kings. That is where the treasures disappeared to."

"Why would he build a passageway that long?" asked the Phantom, naturally intrigued by the idea.

"It is said that the sarcophagus of his beloved queen, is somewhere in that temple. Perhaps he wanted the tunnel so that their spirits could visit each other as they so chose. That passageway ends up opening into the cave where Sethos had been moved; his original tomb had been built in the wrong place, which was why it was abandoned."

"And that was why he was in that unmarked cave…" Christine realized.

"Then we'll rescue them both," said Raoul. "They deserve to be together."

"Right, then," said the head archaeologist. "We'll get to work and search the cave for that passageway!"

"There may not be time," said Raoul. "You go on excavating. I'm leaving for Abydos immediately."


	7. Arrival in Abydos

"I don't think heading right into the lair of the enemy is a good idea, Chagny," said the Phantom. "Or has your neck already forgotten what happened the _last_ time you tried that?"

Raoul glared at him.

"I shall take that as a 'no'…"

"Will you be quiet…?" Raoul asked. "I know what I'm doing."

"Raoul, please let me go with you," whispered Christine. "I can't stand the thought of losing you."

"I don't want you in danger, too, Christine," Raoul whispered back.

"No need to worry; I'll protect her if the need arises," said the Phantom.

"What…?" asked Raoul, dreading the answer.

"I have a score to settle with those thieves…" the musician replied. "And I am sure the archaeologists would appreciate it if I were to translate some of the hieroglyphs on the temple walls…"

"He's doing this on purpose; I swear he is…" Raoul muttered under his breath. Christine rested her head on his shoulder, trying to calm him.

"If you do wish to go, you will be able to find some horses in the stable near here," said Neferma'at. "Feel free to take them; I won't be needing them… once I get married."

"Mademoiselle Ishtar…" said the Phantom, with raised eyebrows. "You do not wish to be married, do you?"

The girl paled.

"How…? How did you know…?" she gasped.

"Because the look in your eyes is the same that Christine had when _I_ wished to marry her," he replied.

Christine blushed, and Raoul glared at the Phantom again as Neferma'at nodded in agreement.

"You are right," she said. "The thieves won't leave me alone… but Mr. Hoularch will be able to protect me from them. If I marry him, I know I'll be safe… but… I'll miss home so much…"

Christine felt a deep sympathy for Neferma'at. When she had married Raoul, she knew that she would be safe, but she would also be free. Freedom was one of the first things that Raoul had promised her that night when he had proposed on the Opera Populaire rooftop. That was how she knew that she would be going to Abydos with him, even though he hadn't said a word about it.

"Is there… anything we can do…?" Christine asked.

Neferma'at shook her head.

"Please place your mind at ease, Mademoiselle Ishtar," said Raoul. "Upon my honor, I will stop these thieves. They cannot be allowed to disrespect the former kings or to threaten the innocent. Christine, are you sure you wish to come with me?"

Christine nodded, hiding her smile; it was as she had predicted.

Raoul turned back to the archaeologists.

"Carry on with your work," he said. "But I request one of those ancient swords. I have a feeling that I might find myself in need of them."

The man holding the swords handed them to Raoul. They were unlike any other swords he had seen before. The hilt was shaped like an ankh, the symbol for life. That made sense; in the ancient battles, a sword would have meant life for the one wielding it. The swords seemed to be in good condition, despite the age. They would have to do, regardless of how old they were, though.

"I'll take one of those," said the Phantom. Raoul said nothing, but gave him a sword all the same.

"And we should carry the map with us," said Christine, taking the lamp. She blew out the candle, and the images carved upon the lamp vanished, as though they had never been there. With an amazed shake of her head, she placed it in her satchel.

And after making sure that the thieves were not lying in wait for them, the Chagnys and the Phantom departed for Abydos.

* * *

The journey to the ancient city was long and sweltering. It only eased after the sun went down, but they did not stop, save for short breaks to rest and recover. It was the next morning when they reached. Raoul halted the steed that he and Christine were riding on.

"I'm assuming that no one will be at the temple this early," he said, leaping off of the horse's back. He helped Christine down, as well. "But the first thing we have to do is to find that marketplace where Sethos's artifacts are being sold. Once we do so, we can try to figure out how to get everything else back to Luxor."

"Wonderful," said the Phantom, sarcastically. "And you simply expect to walk right into the marketplace, accuse the thieves of thievery and steal everything back yourself?"

"Certainly not; that's _your_ task."

The Phantom's eyebrows arched from behind the mask he was wearing.

"All of Paris knows about the Opera Ghost, and how he can make himself invisible in an instant," said Raoul. "It's time to put your title to the test. I'll leave the marketplace in your hands. Christine and I will search the temple. I trust that you will be able to find us there after you've completed your mission?"

The Phantom removed a length of rope from within his cape, which he had been sure to take with him, in addition to the ancient sword.

"Consider the task complete," he said, and they went their separate ways soon after.

* * *

The Phantom's venture to the marketplace nearly met with failure. He had completely forgotten about the mysterious man he had met aboard the ship, and was unpleasantly surprised to cross paths with him again.

"You have not learned your lesson, have you, Erik?" the man asked, surveying him with a patronizing look. "Again and again, you defy Ma'at. Don't think I am unaware of the gold you have stolen--"

"For goodness' sakes, who on Earth are you!?" the Phantom asked, once the shock had worn off. "And what do you want from me!?

"Want?" asked the man. "Ma'at is the goddess of justice. Justice is what she wants, and justice she shall have. Mark my words, Erik. Your trial will come in five days' time. I will have obtained my witness by that time… a witness who can attest to your crimes and evils…"

The man turned the corner and vanished. The Phantom cursed him, and then cursed himself for ever being intimidated by him.

"_Remember why you're here, fool_," he chided himself. "_Even if he does bring you to that trial of his, you can clear yourself by saving the Pharaoh's treasure…_"

But it was interesting, though, that the man hadn't mentioned a thing about the Pharaoh's sword that the Phantom was clearly carrying with him. And yet the man had known about the gold figurine. Then again, the viscount had given him the sword… which meant that either he had "permission" to carry it, or that the mysterious man would soon start appearing before Raoul. Either way, he couldn't concern himself with it now; he had to retrieve the rest of those artifacts.

But that got him thinking… clearly, those thieves were more disrespectful of Ma'at than he was. So why wasn't he after the _real_ perpetrators!? They had taken everything they could have snatched; even the king himself.

He set off, in search of the stand selling the artifacts, making a mental note to inform the man of the situation if he ever saw him again (though he was hoping that he would not).

* * *

"Oh, Raoul, look!" gasped Christine, as they passed below the impressive archways of the temple. "Can you believe how beautiful everything looks, even after thousands of years?" She placed her hand on the ornately decorated wall. "I really do wish walls could talk. These would have quite a tale for us."

"And they could tell us where the thieves hid everything," sighed Raoul. "We have a difficult task ahead of us, Christine. I think…"

He trailed off, distracted as he heard a whisper coming from deep within the temple. It was speaking in a language that he couldn't understand.

"Raoul?" asked Christine. "What is it?"

"Christine, do you hear that?"

She paused for a moment, trying to listen. With a shrug, she shook her head.

"I think our 'friends' are in there," said Raoul, drawing the ancient sword that he had brought from Luxor. "Be on the lookout for anything suspicious, Christine."

"Right," she agreed, and she followed him inside the darkened hall.

Raoul led the way, a torch in one hand and the sword in the other. He didn't hear a single sound now. It was far too quiet.

"Christine, if they attack us, you should run," he said. "Defend yourself with the torch and escape. You have to trust that I'll be fine."

"But are they here? I never heard anything," she said, glancing around, not wanting to think of Raoul being forced to face the clearly dangerous band of thieves all alone. She found a strange calming effect from the images of Sethos, Túaa, and the ancient deities that covered the walls. "But I have to say that this place would be beautiful with a little more light. Do you need the map?"

"No, not yet," he said. "Though this place reminds me of the Opera Populaire in some ways… This pathway seems to lead to the central hall. I doubt the thieves will have placed the treasure somewhere so obvious, but one we get there, we can try using the map to see where the underground passageways are."

"Right," she agreed, and the two continued down the darkened corridor.

* * *

The Phantom's expedition, save for the encounter with the seemingly zealous vigilante, was going well. By using his lasso alone, he had roped in the Bastet statue. As the thieves began to search for the vanished cat, he succeeded in sneaking in and recovering the smaller artifacts. The mummy and some of the larger artifacts were still not there; obviously, they were still in the temple. He hadn't expected to find the treasure all in one place, anyway.

Having no way to carry all of the artifacts, he hid what he could within his cape, and was forced to wear the rest of the royal regalia, including a gold-laced _nemes_, carrying the cat statue with him. Luckily, he was able to make his way in typical Opera Ghost fashion, and therefore avoided the looks from passersby that he would have received otherwise. But he wouldn't have minded; it would have undoubtedly drawn attention away from his face, which was something that he would have welcomed.

He was partly concerned about the "five days' time" that the man had mentioned. Though, with any luck, they would retrieve all the artifacts, bring them back to Luxor, and be back on the way to Paris before five days was even over.

He pushed aside the thoughts; his main concern was getting to the temple before the thieves did. His mission had been a success. His only regret was that he hadn't received the chance to get a better look at the thieves. That would have helped him in his case against them, if that man ever showed up again.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Chagnys were still progressing down the corridor which led to the main hall. The only light came from the torch that Raoul was carrying, and there wasn't a sign of anyone else. And yet, it felt as though they were not alone. It wasn't just the sensation that the carvings on the wall seemed to be looking at them (even though that feeling was there); it felt as though there was the presence of an actual person nearby. Finally, Christine decided to speak about it.

"Raoul, I think you may have heard someone after all," she said, casting wary glances behind her. "I think we're being watched."

Raoul paused, raising the torch so that the light fell behind them. And still there was no sign of anyone.

And that was when they both hear the strange whisper, still speaking in its own tongue.

"_Where is it coming from!?_" Raoul thought. The voice was close… so close; they should be able to see the speaker, and yet, they saw nothing.

"Raoul…" gasped Christine, staring wide-eyed at the sword. "Raoul, I think…"

She didn't have to finish her thought; Raoul glanced at the sword that he was holding. He immediately let it drop, as though it had caught aflame. As the couple continued to glance at the ancient object in wonder, there could be no denying that the whisper was indeed coming from the sword.


	8. The Hypostyle Hall

"Raoul, the sword is _talking_!" whispered Christine, in amazement.

"But that's impossible; it must be some sort of ventriloquist act…" said Raoul, eyes narrowed. He glanced behind him. "Opera Ghost, if this is your idea of a joke, it isn't amusing!"

There was no reply from the Phantom; the sword continued to whisper, but sensing that Raoul and Christine couldn't understand a word of the ancient language, the whispering ceased.

Raoul gathered the sword again, which gave no indication that it had just spoken.

"What now?" asked Christine. "Do we keep going?"

"Of course," said Raoul. "Just stay alert; we aren't alone here."

They continued down the temple passageway, which finally opened to a large archway, revealing the main hall.

Raoul surveyed the room carefully; there were a few pillars here and there, but the vast expanse of the room would make it very easy for someone to hide… perhaps the mysterious ventriloquist.

It was a poor position to be in, he realized; they needed the light of the torch to see, but it also would be a beacon for the thieves, betraying their location.

But they had one advantage; Christine's musically-trained ears could pick up the slightest sound on most occasions, which was why Raoul had been surprised when he had heard the sword speak before she had.

"Do you hear anything?" he asked, in an almost inaudible whisper.

She closed her eyes, briefly, concentrating; her ears worked best on their own.

"Nothing," she said, at last.

They searched the large hall quickly, but it was empty; not a scrap of gold, or even a fragment of a statue.

But Raoul did find another archway; he was about to show Christine when she suddenly glanced behind her.

"Raoul, I hear footsteps…" she said.

There was no time; Raoul simply threw the torch to the stone floor, where it still remained lit. He and Christine hid behind the nearest pillar as the person approached. They couldn't recognize him at first; he was wearing a strange assortment of gold trappings, but Christine's sudden laughter made it clear who it was.

"You!" asked Raoul, glaring at the Phantom, who had retrieved the torch.

"Look at you!" Christine exclaimed, indicating the Phantom's ancient garb. "We asked you to retrieve the artifacts; you didn't have to wear them!"

"I found it a better idea to bring them like this," he explained. "And I wasn't about to leave them outside, only to be stolen again. And we all know that if music had a Pharaoh, I would be the one."

I wonder what he would say if he saw you wearing that…" said Raoul, indicating a carving of Sethos.

As if to answer him, the sword began to whisper again. The Phantom held the torch in front of it; there was still no indication of what was causing it to speak.

"So it wasn't you throwing your voice the last time, then?" asked Raoul.

"Of course not!" the Phantom said. "I only arrived here now! And I should think I would come up with something cleverer than making a sword talk… perhaps a statue, or even the mummy…"

"Right," said Raoul, dismissing it. "Can you understand what he's saying?"

"He's talking very quickly; he obviously knows the ancient language very well," said the Phantom. "But he's a little too quick for me to follow; I am better at written script. I can gather one thing; he's speaking to you directly."

"Your jokes are not amusing."

"I'm serious," he said. "He is addressing 'the warrior from the northwest who seeks to aid,' and that certainly sounds like you."

"And why would he speak to me?" asked Raoul. "I am well after his time… not to mention that it's impossible for this to be happening."

"If you're that skeptical about it, consider that I am not the only ventriloquist in the world," said the Phantom.

"Do you think it's one of the thieves, trying to unnerve us?" asked Christine. "But I couldn't hear anyone else besides you, and you are a challenge to track in your own right."

The sword had fallen silent again.

"Doesn't matter now," said Raoul, taking the sword back. "We may as well move on."

He took the torch from the Phantom and led the way through the second doorway.

Christine let out a gasp of wonder; they had arrived at the grander hypostyle hall of the temple. Gigantic colonnades were all around them, visible in the dim torchlight; the pillars in the previous hall had been large, but these pillars surpassed them in glory, each one nearly fifty feet in width, and a height so tall that the torchlight couldn't even reach the tops of the pillars. And standing between the colossal pillars were large granite statues of the king himself.

"We _must_ be hading in the right direction!" exclaimed Christine. "Look at these statues! They look as though he's about to come alive and speak…"

She trailed off, glancing at the sword, but it remained silent.

After making a check of the hypostyle hall, and finding nothing, they all reconvened to discuss the situation.

"I didn't see another doorway this time," said Raoul. "Either it's hidden, or there's another network of hallways to search. And in a room like this, finding a secret passage would be no easy task."

"Leave passageways to the expert," said the Phantom.

"No, Erik; I think we had best consult the map before we go any further," said Christine, pulling the lamp out of her satchel.

Raoul lit the lamp with the torch, and they studies the map as it appeared on the surface.

"You're right, Raoul; there _are_ a lot of hidden passageways in this room," said Christine. "I think this one leads to the inner chambers, but all these other ones could lead to potential hiding places… How are we supposed to know?"

"If you're that concerned, you could leave the other passageways to me while you follow the main route," said the Phantom.

"But if we get separated, one or more of us could get lost here without the map!" said Christine.

"You keep the map, then," said the Phantom. "Or, you two return to Luxor, let me have the map, and leave everything to me. I was able to retrieve all of these trinkets, wasn't I?"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I have to agree that it may not be such a good idea for you to wander the passageways when the thieves clearly outnumber us," said Raoul.

"And since when were you concerned about what happened to me?" asked the Phantom.

"Some people actually _are_ concerned about the general welfare of others," Raoul informed him.

"And are you implying that I do not care for anyone besides myself!?"

"Now don't start this again!" said Christine, looking up from the map. "Let's get back to the map. I think we should look in the main chambers first, and then go through some of the others…"

"Keep in mind that a lot of these interconnect, so we only have half as many that are visible," said the Phantom, indicating the map.

Raoul was about to reply, but could hear the quiet voice of the sword again. Christine was too busy looking at the map, and the Phantom too busy interpreting her findings to notice.

Raoul went over the sword again.

"_Could you possibly speak in a language I can understand…?_" he mentally asked the voice.

And then he heard the voice speak.

"_Beware, young warrior…_"

"What…?" he asked, aloud.

"_Go to the center of the hall…_"

He gazed around the hall, not one to follow orders of a disembodied voice.

"_Time is running out; go to the center of the hall…_"

Raoul was about to put the sword away and ignore the voice when, at last, there seemed to be a tone of necessity in the voice.

"_Do you doubt me? Look behind you, and then fly with the swiftest of wings!_"

Raoul turned around to see one of the colossal statues of Sethos directly behind them tilting over ever so slightly.

"RUN!" he ordered.

He seized Christine's arm and fled. The Phantom looked up and leaped out of the way just in time. In another instant, the statue crashed to the ground.

"Oh, Raoul…" Christine gasped. "How could this have happened!?"

The sound of running footsteps could be heard from behind the pedestal where the statue had been standing moments ago.

"Ask _them_," snarled the Phantom. He hurled his lasso in the direction of the footsteps, and a smirk crossed his face an instant later. "I've caught one!"

He pulled in his quarry: a livid-looking man whom they had never seen before, and could not recognize.

"So… _you're_ the one who stole the artifacts from us in the marketplace?" the man asked, glancing at the Phantom.

"And who are you to accuse him like that, when you stole them from us in the first place!?" scolded Christine. "And then, not only do you destroy this ancient statue, you nearly kill us! It's a mercy that Raoul noticed it before we were crushed!"

"Thank the sword," said Raoul. "I finally understood what the voice was saying. He warned me about the statue."

"The sword spoke to you!?" the man asked. He turned his head in the direction of the pedestal. "He has the sword!"

Raoul now drew the sword, expecting more thieves to show up and attack. But, instead, fleeing footsteps could be heard.

"Cowards…" Raoul said, and he turned back to the captive thief. "But perhaps you can tell me the significance of this sword, and why the identical one held by the Opera Ghost doesn't seem to be as vocal. I can take it by your surprise that no ventriloquists were involved."

"You'll get nothing from me, Viscount," the man declared.

"You can't _ask_ him!" said the Phantom, with a roll of his eyes. He then glared at the thief. "I recently composed a very nice requiem; I would hate for it to be wasted on you, so speak."

The man remained silent, and the Phantom growled in disgust.

"Oh, let's just take him along with us; he will talk when he's ready," said Christine.

"I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you…" the Phantom replied, but he securely bound the man with the lasso and led him along the passageway.

* * *

The deep passageway eventually led them to the _naos_, where a large gold shrine could be seen in the back of the room. The shrine doors were closed, but clearly they held a valuable treasure.

"And here I thought the goods in the cave would bring the most money…" commented the Phantom. "I cannot believe that this gold has been untouched for all these years…"

"I can," said Raoul. "Look…"

He held the torch up and pointed to what resembled a large chasm in the floor of the temple. It was incredibly wide; it would be impossible to find a way to the other side without having someone already there to help.

"I guess there's no way across it," said Christine, disappointed. "I would have wanted to see what was in it…"

"There's no harm in you knowing that it supposedly contains a large golden idol of Osiris, as well as a hoard of magic spells that he supposedly knows," the man replied. "You aren't the first to want to open the shrine, and you shall not be the last. But my colleagues and I will some day have the honor of being the ones to do so."

"Somehow I doubt that," said Raoul. "But can I take your commentary as a sign that you are ready to talk?"

"Not at all," the man replied. "There was no harm in telling you because my colleagues aren't about to let you leave after having seen this; you may as well know our objective. We knew you'd show up here eventually."

The words were barely out of his mouth when the chamber was filled with more thieves, surrounding them.


	9. The Voice of the King

"Well, Chagny?" asked the Phantom, as he glanced around the room at the thieves. "And what plans have you for getting us out of this?"

"I have one…" said Raoul, noticing that there were other passageways on the map. At a moment's notice, he could find a way out.

"Before you decide to retreat, Viscount, you may wish to know that there have been some happenings back in Luxor," said one of the thieves. "Remember the girl who was kind enough to warn you not to come here?"

"What have you done to Mademoiselle Ishtar?" Raoul demanded, knowing the implications of the man's statement.

"She will be the newest member of our organization," the man replied. "As we speak, more of my men are heading to Luxor to pick her up."

"No…" gasped Christine. "You can't do that to her! She's an innocent bystander in all of this!"

Raoul glanced at the thief still held captive in the Phantom's lasso.

"Release the Ishtar girl, and we'll return your friend to you," he offered.

"He is nowhere near as useful as the girl will be," said another man. "You can keep him! The girl can help us figure out how to make it to the other side of the _naos_ and open the shrine!"

"_They don't know about the map…_" Christine thought. Ever so carefully, she blew out the candle, causing the lamp to go blank again.

"Then take him, anyway," said the Phantom, forcing the captive thief forward. "We have no use for him, either."

Both he and Raoul drew their swords, expecting the thieves to strike back. They weren't disappointed.

"Take the torch, Christine!" Raoul said, handing it to her.

Blades crossed; even though they were terribly outnumbered, Raoul and the Phantom were able to hold their attackers at bay as Christine retreated through one of the passageways. After she had gone, the two former rivals followed, dodging a few arrows and javelins.

* * *

Outside the temple, the horses were waiting for them.

"What now?" asked Christine, as they rode back towards Luxor.

"We have to save the girl," Raoul replied. "I gave her my word that we would recover the artifacts and keep her safe. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to fulfill either task; she has been captured, and we still don't know where the Pharaoh himself is, not to mention his queen."

"I take it then, after we save the girl, we will be returning to Abydos?" asked the Phantom.

"Indeed," Raoul said. "As important as recovering the Pharaoh is, the plight of the living takes precedence over him."

"_Too true, boy,_" came a voice. "_My own needs can wait._"

Raoul knew that the sword was talking again… but the voice had said, "My own needs…" What he trying to say? The voice in the sword… was it the voice of the ancient king himself?

Raoul tried not to think about it as they rode onward. Just outside of Luxor, they came across Hoularch, riding away from the town, with an unconscious Neferma'at in his arms.

"You saved her, then?" asked Christine, relieved.

"I don't know; the thieves are right behind me," Hoularch said. "I'm trying to lure them away so that they do not attack her family. Can you hold them off while we escape?"

Without waiting for an answer, he rode off.

"I don't think he had enough time to let her parents know that she's been rescued," said Christine. "We should tell them, Raoul; they must be worried sick for her safety…"

Keeping an eye out for the thieves (though they didn't come across any of them), they three returned to the Ishtars' home, to find a distraught Sopdet weeping as she tended to a wounded Techu.

"Viscount! Viscount!" she screamed, relived to see him. "My daughter, Viscount… she has been taken by the thieves!" She knelt before the young nobleman. "Please, Viscount, please save her! You alone can do so! Her life is in your hands, Viscount--"

"It's alright, Madame," he said, helping the worried woman to her feet. "Her fiancé has already rescued her from the thieves."

Sopdet immediately broke into a new series of wails, which was not at all the reaction that the others had expected.

"Oh, Viscount, she still isn't safe; she is far from safe!" she cried.

"But I don't understand…" said Christine.

"You will forgive us for not telling you this sooner," said Techu. "Neferma'at herself didn't know…"

"Didn't know what?" asked Raoul, wondering what on Earth the man was implying.

"That man, Hoularch… he is the ringleader of the thieves."

Stunned silence filled the room.

"But… he seemed like such a nice man!" gasped Christine. "He even warned us about the thieves in the first place!"

"Without a doubt to draw suspicion away from himself," said Raoul, furious with himself for ever believing him. "And I'll bet any amount of money that _he_ hid that white cobra in our stateroom!"

"You gave your daughter's hand in marriage to a ringleader of thieves!?" the Phantom asked.

"We were blackmailed!" cried Sopdet. "Neferma'at had a younger brother… when she was fifteen and he was ten, the thieves took our son! And they ordered us to promise Neferma'at to Hoularch, otherwise…" She trailed off with a sob, unable to finish the thought. "If Hoularch marries Neferma'at, he will be able to use all that she knows to open the Osiris shrine in the Abydos temple. He will be unstoppable. But… there is one way for us to save her and stop the wedding… and save our son; we haven't even seen him in all these years."

"How can we save them?" asked Raoul.

The couple exchanged glances.

"It is impossible," said Techu. "We cannot ask you to do so. It would be too great a sacrifice on your part."

"Sacrifice?" asked Christine, holding Raoul's hand.

"Forgive me, Viscount!" cried Sopdet. "They… the thieves said that they will release our children back to us… but only if we hand you over to them! They want you to go to the cave where you found the artifacts, and they will take you to their headquarters from there."

"Done," said Raoul.

"No, you can't!" cried Christine.

"I must," said Raoul. "Please try to understand, Christine. I gave my word that Mademoiselle Ishtar would be safe, and I must honor it."

"But what about your promise to me, Raoul?" asked Christine. "You promised me that we'd always be together."

"And I will keep that promise to you, too, Christine," he whispered, kissing her. "I will return. They won't be able to keep me; I'll stay until I'm sure the children have been released, and then I'll make my way back to you. And do you know why, Christine?"

"Because nothing and no one can separate us," she realized. "Good luck, Raoul."

"No, Viscount," said Techu. "I cannot allow you to take such a risk for my children."

"My decision has already been made, Monsieur Ishtar," said Raoul. He then turned to the Phantom. "You… Can you try inspecting the underground passageways? Christine will give you the map. While I detain the thieves, you can go back to Abydos and try to recover the rest of the artifacts."

The masked man nodded, though he wasn't keen on taking orders from him.

"Christine," said Raoul. "I need you to stay here with the Ishtars. When the children come home, ride out to Abydos and try to find us, only be careful. Is that alright?"

She nodded.

"Rest assured, Viscount, we shall watch over her," said Sopdet. "And we shall go to Abydos with her when and if our children return."

"Your children _will_ return, Madame," Raoul promised her. "I will personally see to it."

That said, Raoul kissed Christine once more, picked up the ancient sword again, and rode out. The Phantom departed soon after, map/lamp in hand, heading for the network of passageways.

* * *

"_That was a brave thing to declare, Boy,_" the sword commended, as Raoul continued towards the cave.

"A Chagny always keeps his word," said Raoul, not bothering to ponder over why he was talking to a sword. "I probably already know the answer to this, but who are you?"

"_I am Sethos, son of Paramesu,_" the voice said.

"I guessed as much," said Raoul. "But how is it that you managed to get trapped in this sword?"

"_Blame the thieves you are now approaching_," the king replied, derisively. "_They denied me respect, and they have cursed my spirit into this blade to prevent me from interfering with them. And here I shall remain until my physical form is out of their hands._"

"The sarcophagus…" Raoul realized. "It… I mean, you disappeared down the sinkhole they made. I would have thought that monster of yours would have stopped them…"

"_Bless her, she tried…_" Sethos said. "_But _heka_ has weakened after so much time; her strength is a fraction of what it used to be. That is also what lies in the _naos_ of my temple: all of that _heka_… and the spirit of my beloved Túaa_. _She is a prisoner in that shrine._"

"How did she get trapped in there?"

"_The thieves again, but it was their ancestors_," the king replied, fury evident in his voice. "_When they first invaded my temple, they cast spells of their own to seal her away, for she would be preventing them from progressing with their evil. But they unknowingly sealed her in the naos shrine; she has been trapped there for the past five hundred years. And as a spirit myself, I am powerless to free her, for I cannot open the shrine personally_."

"If I can figure out a way across the naos, I swear to you, I'll figure out a way to open the shrine," said Raoul. "And while I'm there, I'll be sure to free you as well from the sword."

"_You have a rare nobility, Boy,_" said Sethos. "_Ordinarily, I would tell someone such as yourself not to make promises that one cannot keep… but I have a feeling that you might indeed find a way._"

It took Raoul a moment to go over the number of promises he had made already upon arriving in Egypt; he had committed himself to retrieving the treasures, finding the sarcophagi of the king and queen, freeing the lost children, returning to Christine, and now freeing the spirit of the royal couple.

"_If_ _Philippe were here, he'd say I was the craziest person in the world…_" Raoul thought to himself. "_And even then, I'd still go on with fulfilling those promises. Those thieves must be stopped._"

Glancing to the west, Raoul noticed the setting sun. Had they spent the whole day at Abydos? Even then, they had accomplished nothing, save for rescuing the few trinkets, but that had been the Opera Ghost's doing. And with each passing second, the stakes would rise. If he didn't find a way to put a stop to this madness now, it would soon grow out of control.

The king's spirit had fallen silent; perhaps he was wondering is Raoul could indeed fulfill his word. Had he really been separated from Túaa for five hundred years? Raoul had found the days without Christine unbearable; he could only imagine how the king must be feeling.

Raoul reined the horse as he arrived outside the cave.

"We're here," he said, picking up the sword.

"_Be wary_," the Pharaoh replied. "_Knowing their treachery, I expect them to take you prisoner and refuse to release the children._"

"Let them try what they may," said Raoul. "I am not about to submit to them without a fight."

That said, he entered the cave, ready to face whatever came his way.


	10. The Successor

The Phantom, in the meantime, was traversing the underground passageways. Despite having the map with him, he found that he didn't have a need for it; it was as though being able to navigate vast labyrinths was a second nature for him. The map was merely a reference.

The masked man was still wearing the odd assortment of pharaonic regalia; he knew that to leave them all behind would be most unwise. It would merely be stolen again, and Christine and the Ishtars would be in danger.

And then there was the case of the golden statue, still hidden within his cape. More and more, he realized that he was losing his rationale for taking it with him. And that mysterious robed man would certainly use that as evidence against him in this so-called "trial."

"_What did he say? Five days?_" the Phantom asked himself. "_How much time did we spend in Abydos, anyway?_"

He calculated the time. They had spent about a day in Abydos, but between the ride back and setting off now, probably another day and a half. That left him with two and a half days to figure out some way out of this. It wasn't that he was afraid, of course; he just didn't want to be bothered.

A noise coming from an adjacent passageway caught his ears. He was astounded to find the archaeologists all being held prisoner there. They were unharmed, but were bound by ropes.

With a shake of his head, the Phantom released them, taking the ropes for himself. He had a feeling that he would need them before the misadventure was over. The grateful archaeologists thanked him and proceeded to the nearest exit.

"Chagny, you'd better not take too long to deal with those thieves," the Phantom said. "I need to be out of Egypt before that time runs out. And by the looks of things, we don't have too much time at all."

* * *

"You will forgive me if I do not immediately attack," said Raoul, as he entered the cavern. "I want to gather as much information as I can, including the whereabouts of the children."

"_Choose the course of action as you see fit_," Sethos replied. "_And perhaps it would be prudent if I remain silent for some time; worse could transpire if my presence is known._"

An array of torches greeted Raoul before another word could be said, and one lone figure stepped forward.

"Welcome, Vicomte," said Hoularch. "I expected you to arrive soon enough… Though you are later than I imagined. The little lady wasn't too keen on letting you come, I imagine?"

"You leave Christine out of this," Raoul shot back. "The fact that you ever tried to befriend us--"

"Was brilliant, wasn't it?" the man replied. "Oh, Vicomte, I did warn the two of you to stay away. Why couldn't you have listened? I had no quarrel with you, even though it was frequently said that you would prove to be a thorn in my side; it was with great reluctance that I left that cobra in your stateroom… though I expected you to defeat it."

Raoul merely glared daggers at him.

"And I am also quite glad indeed that you did manage to throw that cobra overboard," said Hoularch. "You had every right to survive. You're a good man, Vicomte."

"Pity that the same cannot be said about you," Raoul countered back. "With all of your lies, thievery, and treachery, you make even the Opera Ghost seem like a beacon of benevolence."

"Ah, yes, the Opera Ghost," said Hoularch. "He has proven himself to be another nuisance after that stunt in the marketplace. How desperate must you be to take his help?"

"At least I can say that he is no longer my enemy, which is more than can be said for you," said Raoul, drawing the sword. "Where are the Ishtar children? You agreed to release them if I arrived here."

"You know, Vicomte, if you had realized my true identity as the leader of these thieves, you could have rescued my bride-to-be," said Hoularch. "She was right there, under your nose--"

"Surely you don't intend to marry her now; what about your agreement?" Raoul asked. "I am here, as I promised. Now release Neferma'at and the boy. Or is it true that there is no honor among thieves?"

"They will be released in due time, Vicomte," said Hoularch, so casually that it further infuriated Raoul. "This is not our headquarters, and, as such, they are not here. But you are, as you already mentioned. And if you expect me to honor my end of the bargain, I'd put that sword away if I were you."

Raoul merely lowered the blade as the thieves around the cave sneered.

"Now, then, Vicomte, I am sure you are a little curious as to why we asked you to come here, are you not?" asked Hoularch.

"Not exactly," said Raoul. "Clearly, you intend to use me as your new bargaining chip after… or if… you release the children. Either that, or you're merely trying to convince me to keep out of your plans… or to make sure I never interfere with you again."

"Vicomte, Vicomte," Hoularch laughed. "Do not take me for a petty thief! I already said that you deserved to live, and so you shall! Why would I be so foolish to lose the prowess of the one who dueled and defeated the Opera Ghost? No, Vicomte; I am not going to kill you. Once again I offer friendship. You will join my organization, Vicomte!"

"Are you mad!?" Raoul answered, raising the sword again.

"Not at all, Vicomte," Hoularch replied. "It stands to perfect reason that if I want to open the Abydos temple shrine, which is completely unreachable to all but the one chosen by Lord Sethos, I must enlist the skills of the one favored by Lord Sethos to do so."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, though he had a vague idea as to what the thief was saying.

"You don't think it's true, Vicomte?" asked Hoularch. "Very well, then. If you think that I am mad and mistaken, then you may leave. Just hand over that sword, and you are free to go."

Raoul stared at the sword in his hand. No; he couldn't surrender the sword to Hoularch; he had given the king his word. Hoularch took a step forward, and Raoul quickly put the sword away.

"I take it that something about that old sword intrigues you, Vicomte," said Hoularch.

"I swore I'd free the Ishtar children and take back the artifacts you stole," Raoul said, coldly. "Never did I say that I would walk away to save my own skin. And I would never surrender an ancient treasure, either."

"Or the spirit of a Pharaoh," added Hoularch.

Raoul merely glared daggers at Hoularch again, not wanting to betray Sethos' presence.

"My associates told me of how you heard a voice coming from the sword; a voice which they, clearly, did not hear, and that your comrades had difficulty hearing as well," the thief went on. "But they knew it wasn't madness; you, Vicomte, have been chosen by Lord Sethos to be his successor. You should be honored, Vicomte; with his family as spirits, he could only choose one mortal as his successor, and, somehow, he chose you, over all others."

"Impossible," said Raoul. "The Pharaonic rule no longer exists. Why would he name me as a successor?"

"Because only the successor of the one who built the Abydos temple can reach the shrine and open it," Hoularch replied. "Lord Sethos was succeeded 2900 years ago by his son. But his son is now also a spirit, and cannot open the shrine. But you can, Vicomte. After all, do you think it was a mere coincidence that you found the shrine so quickly?"

Raoul had thought that their reaching the shrine so quickly had been a product of the map. But could Sethos' guidance have been a factor as well? After all, the map could have been false, or simply refused to work for them. But no; it had worked flawlessly, whether it was by some logical, explainable method, or by actual magic and _heka_.

"And as the successor of Lord Sethos, what exactly do you expect me to do?" asked Raoul.

"You will reach the shrine that is in the _naos_ of the Abydos temple," said Hoularch. "You will open the shrine, undoubtedly freeing the spirit of the queen, but she won't bother us, for you will give us the scrolls and whatever else you find in the shrine, after which we shall permanently rid ourselves of the interfering spirits of the Pharaoh and the queen. And you, Vicomte, will return to Paris, and shall not utter a word of what you saw or heard."

Raoul drew the sword, though, this time, the sword was not in his control. The young viscount seized his right wrist with his left hand, trying not to let the sword attack; clearly, Sethos knew that Hoularch was aware of his presence, and was decidedly livid at what he had heard.

"_Not since 2900 years have I ever despised someone such as this scoundrel!_" Raoul heard the king fume, as the ancient sword shuddered angrily beneath Raoul's fingertips.

"Well, this 'scoundrel' shall be the new master of _heka_ and the new Pharaoh!" boomed Hoularch, obviously hearing the angered spirit and seeking to further enrage him. "For once the deed is done and the Vicomte has returned to Paris, he shall appoint _me_ as his successor."

"Never," Raoul vowed. "I have already given an oath to the Pharaoh Sethos. If I am to open the shrine, it will be to release the queen, and for no other reason. And no amount of threats can force me to do otherwise."

"I already told you Vicomte, you cannot die," said Hoularch. "For we need you to open the shrine. So it appears that threatening you to do so would be pointless. However, while you are needed, your companions (not to mention the Ishtar children) are expendable."

Raoul had expected this. Thankfully, Christine was safe with Techu and Sopdet, and with the Opera Ghost haunting the underground passageways, no one would catch _him_. However, it was the case of the lost children which left the young man in a predicament.

"_What am I to do?_" he thought.

"_Forget about me, Boy_," Sethos said, at last. "_I will accept my fate, whatever it may be._"

"I don't know what Hoularch meant when he said that he would be permanently rid of you and Lady Túaa, but I swear that I shall not allow it to happen," Raoul promised, quietly.

Sethos didn't reply, but something told Raoul that the king knew very well what Hoularch was planning. And the fact that a spirit would view it with apprehension did not bode well.

"Well, Vicomte?" asked Hoularch. He glanced around at his henchmen. "We're getting a bit impatient, waiting for your answer. Will you join us, or will we have to resort to our backup plans?"

"Let me see the children first," said Raoul. "I need to see what kind of state they're in before I agree to any of your mad conditions."

There was a murmuring among the thieves, but Hoularch raised a hand to silence it.

"You have a point, Vicomte; indeed, your request shall be granted. You are wise beyond your years," said the thief. "It is no wonder you were chosen to be the king's successor."

"The last thing I need is to have you patronize me," Raoul shot back.

"You even have the pride of a Pharaoh," Hoularch mused, solely for the purpose of further infuriating Raoul. "Ah, but there is one thing. Do try to keep that sword of yours under control."

"_I say he has every right to strike back at the likes of you_," Raoul thought, as he glared at Hoularch. "_Oh, Christine, I only hope that you remain safe through all of this…_"

The crowd of thieves made way to reveal the passageway in the cavern floor.

"It's a long walk back to Abydos, Vicomte," said Hoularch. "I suggest we start walking."

Raoul didn't say a word; he wasn't about to give Hoularch any amusement at all. He silently progressed down the passageway, the thieves all close behind. And he was already forming a plan of escape. He knew he would find a way out; he was the successor for a reason.


	11. Return to Abydos

Both Raoul and the Phantom began their underground journey to Abydos, one alone, and one in the company of many. Meanwhile, Christine was waiting patiently for news of Raoul. But as hours turned to days, she became more and more uneasy and restless.

"Madame Ishtar?" she asked. "Was there nothing you could have done to prevent the capture of the children?"

"We tried all we could to save them, but their cruelty knows no bounds," said Sopdet. "We were afraid for our son, Anhur-Ptah; I don't even know what he looks like anymore; it has been years, and we never had so much as a photograph."

"Didn't anyone want to help you?" asked Christine.

"Oh, I'm sure that they would have, if they knew of the plight," she replied.

"You didn't tell anyone--!?"

"My dear, do try to understand…" said Sopdet. "We couldn't bring ourselves to drag others into danger."

"The thieves have set upon you already," said Techu. "But they have not shown you the fullest extent of their wickedness. I warned that boy not go after them; I would rather have gone myself."

Christine saw through to the true meaning of the words.

"You don't think Raoul will return…" she realized. "You think they will kill him!?"

Sopdet glared at Techu.

"Can't you see that the poor child is worried enough as it is!?" she asked.

"Don't blame him, Madame Ishtar," Christine said, quickly. "Ever since that cobra appeared in our stateroom, I knew that the thieves would be after Raoul because he was funding the excavation."

"Because he was funding…?" asked Techu. "That is far from the truth; if they had been after his money, they would have stopped troubling us after they stole all of that gold."

"Then what do they want?" asked Christine, wide-eyed. She looked through her satchel, finding the silver figurine of the Pharaoh's monster. "Is this what they were after? I can give this to them; will that end it?"

"My dear, I think you need to hear a tale about that sword your beloved was carrying with him," said Sopdet.

"I gathered that it belong to the king," the singer replied.

"Have you wondered why the voice in the sword was difficult for you to hear?" asked Techu. "But not as much for the viscount?"

Christine nodded, and was astounded to hear the truth.

"But if Raoul has been chosen as the successor, and I am his wife…" Christine began. "Then what does that make me?"

"You are Christine de Chagny," said Sopdet, clearly wishing that Christine had remained uninvolved. "And she is whoever she believes she is. Nothing can change that."

Techu held out a silver-and-gold staff.

"This was the staff of the Lady Túaa," he said. "It was said that she used this staff in battle, alongside her husband." He placed the staff in Christine's hands. "Is your place here, with us, or alongside your husband?"

Christine looked at the staff, and then glanced back at the couple.

"There is one more horse in the stable," said Techu, as Christine opened her mouth.

Christine smiled slightly and nodded, departing out the front door. Techu watched her leave, as Sopdet began to pray.

* * *

"Welcome to our retreat, Vicomte," said Hoularch, as they arrived in one of the underground chambers of the temple. "Is there anything we can get you while you are here? Someone as important as you must be taken care of. Don't hesitate to let us know if you need food or water."

Raoul didn't say a word; he was determined not to take any handouts from the thieves. It was a matter of principle.

"Ah, of course," said Hoularch. "Your main concern is for the safety of the children. Very well, then."

He spoke to another one of the thieves, who departed from the room and returned with Neferma'at and her younger brother. Anhur-Ptah didn't say anything; he had no clue as to who Raoul was, but Neferma'at glanced at Raoul with apologetic eyes, as though she regretted forcing him into this position.

Raoul had to admit that the siblings seemed to be well taken care of; they didn't look hungry or hurt, but they were afraid. He knew that he couldn't leave them here, but he couldn't open the shrine for the thieves, either.

"As you can see, Vicomte, they are perfectly safe," said Hoularch. "But the question still remains… Will you come with us into the temple and open the shrine door? If and when you do so, I give you my word that I will set the children free, as well as yourself."

Neferma'at shook her head ever so slightly, as though to say that Hoularch must not be able to obtain the ancient _heka_, no matter what consequences befell her and her brother. Even Anhur-Ptah, who was now realizing that Raoul may be the one to give them a chance to escape, seemed to think that they were expendable when it came to keeping the shrine sealed.

"I agree to your terms on one condition," said Raoul, trying to ignore the siblings' looks of shock. "The children are to accompany us, and they will leave with me when the task is complete."

Hoularch surveyed the viscount, sensing that he was trying to form an escape plan. But he knew that Raoul was aware of the odds; the three of them could never escape Hoularch and all of his followers. Surely there was no one who knew the temple as well as they did.

"Very well, Vicomte; I agree to your terms," said Hoularch. "They say that the Chagnys are a truthful bunch, and that they always keep their word."

"_Not to thieves, they don't…_" Raoul thought to himself.

"_Ma'at does frown upon lying_," agreed Sethos. "_But I think She will be willing to make an exception in this case, for the defeat of these thieves will mean the greater rightousness._"

"I will make the necessary preparations," the thief leader went on. "I'll leave you to question the children, so as you can ensure that they are alright. We leave in an hour."

Hoularch and the thieves departed the chamber, though Raoul distinctly heard the slamming of gates and the locking of locks. There would be guards outside, even if he succeeded in unlocking them.

"Viscount, why did you do this to save us?" asked Neferma'at. "We are not worth the vast amount of _heka_ that lies within the shrine. Hoularch isn't going to get better after receiving it. And after receiving that power, he's only going to get worse and worse."

"I do not intend to let him get away with it," said Raoul, quietly, in case anyone was trying to eavesdrop on them. "I wish to open the shrine to free the spirit of the queen trapped within; that's all, except for getting you two out of here. I hope to give everything else in that shrine to one who truly deserves it."

"But that would be you, Sir," said Anhur-Ptah, speaking for the first time. "You are the successor; that is why they've brought you here."

Raoul decided not to argue, but he felt as though he was perfectly contented with life as a viscount. With Christine by his side, he couldn't ask for anything more, successor or not.

"Viscount…?" asked Neferma'at, not meeting his gaze. "I… I knew for a long time that Hoularch was up to no good. That was why I didn't want to marry him. I knew that he knew something about the disappearance of my brother; he showed up only a few days after he vanished, and he even pretended to help search for him. Of course, he later said that he found nothing…"

"Your parents knew the truth, too," said Raoul. "But they didn't want to tell you because they didn't want you to worry. If you had only told them, or if they had only told you…" He abandoned the thought; now wasn't the time to delve into what could have happened.

"Can you really get us out of here without having to listen to the thieves and give them everything in the shrine?" asked Anhur-Ptah.

"If my plan works, I should be able to do so," Raoul answered. "I recall seeing a network of passageways on that map you showed us. I didn't concern myself with the matter then, but it seems as though your family knows more about the secrets of the past than is obvious."

The children nodded.

"That was why I showed you the map," said Neferma'at. "When I saw you, I knew that you would be the successor. And our knowledge, of course, is what drew Hoularch to pursue us."

"_How long had he been waiting for Sethos' artifacts to be found…?_" Raoul wondered to himself. "_He must have headed straight to Egypt after reading the article in the paper; that's why we ran into him._"

He wondered vaguely where he would have been this particular moment if his archaeological team had discovered the artifacts of another Pharaoh, or if they hadn't found anything at all. At least he'd be safe at home with Christine instead of dealing with these thieves. And yet, if he hadn't been involved, there would be no telling what would have happened to these children, not to mention the spirits of Sethos and Túaa. Perhaps he was here for a reason.

Further discussion and pondering was halted by the return of Hoularch, swarmed by all of his followers; they didn't want the slightest chance of Raoul escaping.

"Shall we go, Vicomte?"

Raoul nodded curtly in reply.

* * *

The Phantom, unfortunately, wasn't faring as well in his underground trek. Oh, he wasn't lost; he had the map, which he barely even needed. But lugging around all of the Pharaoh's treasures while traversing in the stifling heat was beginning to take its toll on him.

He was reluctant to do so, but he removed his mask; it was most uncomfortable wearing it in this situation. And he knew that he was alone, so his appearance didn't matter. He slipped the mask into his cape, and drew out his canteen of water. With a growl of frustration, he found that it contained nothing but a mere sip of water; he had obviously depleted it between Luxor and here.

"_It doesn't matter_," he assured himself. "_Surely I must be near Abydos; I can buy some water in the marketplace. All I need to do is keep going until I get there. It shouldn't be long…_"

The map seemed to agree with his calculations. Ignoring the sweat that poured down his disfigured face, he continued onward. With every step, the weight of the gold seemed to increase, none more so than the small golden figurine he had stolen for himself.

But he was nearing the end of the passageway; the path was sloping upwards, and, at last, he opened the trapdoor, arriving in one of the temple chambers. And he was amazed at the sight that greeted him.

He had found the thieves' cache. All of the other missing artifacts, as well as other treasures from other robberies, were strewn about the chamber, and in the center of the room was the wooden sarcophagus, Sethos' name carved upon it. The magnificent golden palanquin was beside it.

A smirk found its way to the musician's lips. He had completed his task; all he had to do was figure out some way to secure everything, and he could then go off to the marketplace and eat and drink at his leisure.

But his long walk here hadn't gone without its effects; the heat and the strain of carrying everything had brought him to his knees before the king's sarcophagus. He needed rest, but more importantly, he needed water.

"_How many days did it take to walk here?_" he asked himself. "_How long can a man go without water? Three days…? Three days!? What did that fool say!? I had five days, and if it took two days at Abydos, and three days to come back…_"

He looked up, and saw the robed man standing before him, a cold gaze in his eyes.

"I came to save the artifacts," the Phantom insisted to the man. "I wasn't here to take them; if you want to take someone to trial, take the thieves who stole all of this in the first place--"

The man's eyes narrowed, unfeelingly, as the Phantom fell silent. Afflicted by his own weakened condition, he could only try his best to remain conscious as he heard the man before him speak.

"The time has come for the trial of Erik, the Phantom of the Opera," he said. "I have found my witness. And now it shall begin."


	12. The Trial

Meanwhile, Raoul, Neferma'at, and Anhur-Ptah were being led down the vast corridors of the temple.

"You can tell your Pharaoh friend that the artwork here is most exquisite," said Hoularch, as they walked. "If I could find a way to pry the artwork off of the walls, I would. And perhaps, when I receive that hidden power, I will be able to. Yes, Vicomte, tell the Pharaoh that I thank him sincerely, since he is going to make me a very rich man indeed."

Sethos maintained an angry silence, though Anur-Ptah was glaring angrily at Hoularch. He searched the ground for a fragment of stone that he could hurl at the cruel man, but stopped at a warning glance from his sister.

Raoul could sense that the children were nervous and impatient; he would have to set his plan into motion soon. Timing would be everything, he realized. If he was off, even by a moment, it would mean a true disaster, one beyond even the Opera Ghost's imagination.

The moment would be arriving soon; they were nearing the corridor that would lead to the _naos_; but Raoul did recall from the map that there should be a diverging passageway. It couldn't be that far ahead.

"Tell me, Vicomte, have you ever seen a sight such as this?" asked Hoularch. "I suppose I am glad that you came to Egypt."

"You speak to me as though you presume that your feelings of friendship are returned," said Raoul.

"Are they not?"

"I make it a point not to befriend thieves."

"But, Vicomte, you've all but joined us!" said Hoularch. "You are about to be responsible for our rise to power! Are you sure that you wish to return to France after the task is completed? You may find life in this organization far more intriguing than attending every one of your wife's performances--"

"I thought I told you before that none of this concerns Christine," Raoul shot back.

"That's where you're wrong, Vicomte," said the thief. "But you are, in a way, correct; she does not need to be involved, unless you would like her to join you. That's right, Vicomte, I wish to have you and your beloved as honorary members of our little group. And you, Vicomte, would be my second in command… not to mention several times richer than you are right now."

"I must decline," said Raoul. "And while I'm at it, I withdraw my declaration of helping you open this shrine!"

He struck a panel of the wall, which opened, and Raoul ushered the children through it. He followed them, closing the panel behind him.

"Whatever happens, keep running until you get out of here!" Raoul instructed them.

Neferma'at let out a cry, and she pointed ahead. A large stone wall was coming down from the ceiling, intent on blocking the passageway. Its descent was slow, but by the time they reached the wall, the opening was too low for Raoul to go through. His mind raced.

"Both of you, go through right now," he said.

The children obeyed, but they paused, waiting to see what he would do.

"Keep going!" Raoul ordered them. "You can't let yourselves get captured again!"

"But how will you escape, Viscount?" cried Neferma'at.

"Don't worry about me!" Raoul answered back. "As long as you two return home, I'll have kept my promise to your mother. Don't worry about me; I'll find a way out of here."

He heard the children's footsteps run away, but now a new sound was beginning to grow louder; the thieves had opened the panel and were proceeding down the passageway. Being taken captive by them was out of the question; he would have to fight.

"Is there no other way out of this passageway?" Raoul asked, as he drew the sword in response to the approaching thieves.

"_There is_," Sethos answered. "_Unfortunately, the panel can only be activated from the opposite side of the wall. We can only force them to retreat, or wait until someone activates the panel._"

"Then they will have to retreat, for they will not take me."

* * *

"I have noted that the accused has destroyed my proclamation of the first fourteen laws he has broken," said the mysterious man, as he began the trial.

"I haven't the time or the patience to deal with this!" the Phantom said. The man had given him the water he needed, but the Phantom suspected that it wasn't out of kindness; more than anything, he expected that the man had wanted to make sure he would be conscious for this trial.

"But you must," the man replied. "You have escaped justice for far too long. Did you think that you would be able to elude Her forever?" With a mere sweep of his hand, the man moved all of the treasures and items on the chamber floor to the sides of the room.

"I still say that it is most hypocritical for you to accuse me while these thieves have amassed this great deal of wealth," said the Phantom. "Or are my petty crimes more important than this obvious sacrilege to the ancient ways?"

"You haven't the right to speak such things, Erik!" the man snapped. "For the fifteenth rule of Ma'at that you have broken was the robbery of a piece of a Pharaoh's treasure!"

"What, this?" asked the musician, indicating the regalia he was wearing. "I stole this from the thieves who stole it in the first place."

"Not those," said the man. "I'm referring to the golden statue you have so cleverly concealed within your cape!"

The Phantom cursed himself; of course, this overzealous judge would have been aware of the incident. He wasn't sure how, but he knew he should have expected it.

"I suppose it would be no use to say that I stole it to prevent it from being stolen?" he asked.

"It is useless to say that; in fact, it is most unwise, for you have now illustrated the sixteenth rule. More than once have you spun false stories and tales to deceive others, namely the girl you once considered to be your prized pupil."

The Phantom paled slightly; he suddenly knew where this would be going.

"Your life has been driven by desires, the seventeenth decree you have broken," the man went on. "You desired fame and glory. You desired wealth. And you desired the adoration of your pupil: Christine Daaé, daughter of Gustav. And to win her admiration, you deceived her, the eighteenth decree."

"I've heard enough!" the Phantom cried out. "I've since apologized to Christine; she has forgiven me."

"Those aren't the only crimes you have committed against her," said the man. "However, it is true that she has forgiven all of your misdeeds against her. But has my witness done so as well?"

"Where _is_ your witness!?" asked the Phantom, glancing around the empty chamber. "Don't expect me to believe that Ma'at or any of the other ancient gods are standing here!"

The man crossed to one of the walls and struck it.

"The witness shall arrive momentarily, at which point the trial will continue."

* * *

"_Excellent swordsmanship_," commented Sethos. "_Despite being boxed in, you seem to be blocking their advance._"

"Thank you, but I don't know…" Raoul paused to swing the blade. "…I don't know for how long I can expect to hold this advantage. They do outnumber me, after all."

"_If only I were free from this sword…_" the spirit fumed.

"Vicomte, why do you insist on making things so difficult?" Hoularch called to him. "What do you owe this spirit? Why must you free the queen? What do you expect to gain?"

"I expect to gain nothing," Raoul countered, blocking another blow with the sword. "I already _have_ honor. And I will stop at nothing to--"

He was cut off as the panel of wall next to him suddenly rotated 180 degrees, taking him to the adjoining room. Raoul glanced warily around the new surroundings, and was surprised to see a man in a white robe, surrounded by a room full of treasures and sarcophagi.

"Who are you?" Raoul asked.

"You will not speak unless spoken to, Raoul, son of Philibert," said the man, harshly. "You have been brought here to serve as the witness for the prosecution in the trial of Erik, the Phantom of the Opera."

"Trial…?" Raoul asked, quietly, and he glanced at his former rival, who didn't look at all well. "What is he talking about? What did you do?"

"Chagny, get out of here while you still can!" exclaimed the musician. "You might very well be next--"

"Neither of you are to speak to each other!" ordered the robed man. "Son of Philibert, you are to stay to give your statement. You may leave when you have completed this task."

"What is going on here…?" Raoul asked the king, under his breath.

"_It is the Weighing of the Heart_," Sethos replied. "_If the accused is found guilty of his crimes, he suffers a terrible fate. I do not know what your companion has done to incur this, but I am afraid that I cannot stop it._"

"Are you certain?" asked Raoul.

"_Even the Pharaoh himself eventually faces the Weighing of the Heart_," came the reply. "_Though for us, it is done at the hands of Osiris and his aides. If found innocent, we are blessed for all time._"

"And if the accused is guilty?" asked Raoul, glancing at the Phantom.

"_I pray that you need not find out._"

"I now set before the accused, the witness, and Ma'at Herself the remaining ten decrees that the accused has broken!" said the robed man. "For the nineteenth law, the accused pursued the girl in question, Christine, with a reckless heart. He caused her to fear him, he troubled her, and he constantly spied on her, instances of ignoring laws twenty through twenty-two."

"Enough, enough!" cried the Phantom, sweat and tears pouring down his disfigured face. "That was a long time ago. I've changed, and she has forgiven me, bless her. Christine has forgiven me!"

"You have already said that," said the judge. "And I countered by asking you whether or not my witness has forgiven you, as well."

"I didn't ask to be a witness…" said Raoul, under his breath. He could barely watch this; no one deserved to be forced to listen to a reading of their crimes and misdeeds, especially when they had repented.

"_I'm afraid that there aren't any other options_," said Sethos. "_You will have to answer all of the questions put to you with the highest level of truth._"

"You, Erik, tried to win the girl's heart by force, even though she loved another, breaking a twenty-third law," the man went on, his voice becoming harsher with every word he spoke. "And because she loved this man, the one standing here, you held great hatred against him, did you not? And therein is law twenty-four. But you didn't stop there; you directed your anger towards him, you fought bitterly against him, and were unbearably cruel towards him, shattering decrees twenty-five through twenty-seven to pieces!"

"I'm sorry…" the musician sobbed.

"And lastly, the final and most serious deviation from a decree of Ma'at is that you have killed, and you have tried to kill this man standing here before you!" the judge accused.

The Phantom could not reply; he merely fell to his knees in the middle of the room, shaking with silent sobs.

"And now I turn to you, Raoul, son of Philibert," said the robed man. "As my witness, I must ask you if whether or not the serious accusations I have made against Erik are true or false."

"_Whatever you do_," instructed Sethos. "_You __must__ answer truthfully. Do __not__ lie, under any conditions._"

Raoul was wondering what to say. It was true that the Phantom had been exceptionally spiteful towards him, but that _had_ been in the past. And he wasn't keen on finding out what terrible fate awaited the musician if he were to be declared guilty, especially since if the Pharaoh himself did not wish to mention it. But Raoul couldn't lie, either, as Sethos had pointed out.

"Speak now!" ordered the man. "Are my accusations true or false!?"

Raoul couldn't reply; he merely glanced at his devastated rival, praying that he would find some way out of the situation.


	13. The Verdict

"Must you insist on maintaining silence, or are you intentionally trying to defy me?" the man asked, in a condescending tone. "I will ask you for the third time… are my accusations true or false!?"

"I understand that you wish to use me as a witness," said Raoul, after a great deal of thought. "However, I believe that the words of a witness are useless if the witness was forced to speak against the witness' will."

"Son of Philibert, whether it is your belief or not, you will answer the question put to you," he replied.

"That _is_ my answer," Raoul said. "But if you desire a more lucid reply, I may as well say that I have forgiven the Opera Ghost for any misdeeds that he has committed against me."

"But he _has_ committed them?"

"I'm afraid that anything else I have to say in this matter is inadmissible," said Raoul. "I don't know how this Weighing of the Heart works, but I cannot condemn a man to a terrible fate (which I do not even know) because of events that occurred in the past."

"Maybe _you_ cannot," the man replied, giving up. "Fine then, son of Philibert; you may go. In fact, I recommend that you _do_ leave, to avoid facing the same fate as the accused."

"You cannot mean--" Raoul began.

"I can!" came the reply. "I declare the accused to be guilty of the callous defiance of the laws of Ma'at! And his sentence shall be that of those who have been found guilty before him."

"_Here is where you leave_," advised Sethos. "_I'm afraid that there is nothing more you can do for your companion without endangering both your mortal life and your soul._"

"Dare I ask what you mean by that?" asked Raoul, glancing at the Phantom, who was still on his knees, unmoving.

"_She__ is coming_."

"You mean the creator of those laws? What was her name…? Ma'at?"

"No; I am referring to Ammit the Devourer."

"Ammit!?" asked Raoul, and that was when he recalled what Hoularch had told him on the boat.

"…_The crocodile-hippo-lion that ate the souls of the evil…_"

"Hoularch told me about her!" Raoul said.

"_Of course he would_," Sethos replied, derisively. "_When he obtains the _heka_ from the temple shrine, he hopes to control her. That was what he meant when he said that he would ensure that the spirits of Túaa and myself would be out of his way; he would set Ammit upon us._"

"But Ammit couldn't possibly destroy you; you're not evil!" Raoul said. "And neither am I; why must I run?"

"_Because when Ammit is hungry, she makes no distinctions between good and evil_," Sethos warned. "_Let us leave now, while we still have the chance._"

"I cannot leave him at her mercy; he doesn't even have the will to defend himself," said Raoul as he glanced at the Phantom, who still hadn't moved. "However, I will not allow your spirit to remain in danger because of my decision."

Raoul scanned the chamber and found what he had been searching for: Sethos' wooden sarcophagus, which Hoularch had bound in chains. With a strike of the sword, Raoul shattered the chains. He quickly stuck another panel of the wall, opening another passageway, and pushed the sarcophagus through it. The sword in his hand glowed and rose into the air briefly. It then fell to the ground, right at the feet of a transparent figure dressed in ancient robes and wearing a blue _kepresh_ upon his head.

The judge finally glanced over to Raoul, and a look of amazement crossed his face.

"My King!?" he exclaimed. "But how--!?"

Even the Phantom looked back now, though he face remained emotionless as he glanced at the spirit.

"Your sarcophagus has been freed from the chains and is out of this pit of greed, as I promised," said Raoul, with a bow of respect. "I beg you to return to where you deserve to be, and have faith that your queen will soon join you there."

The Pharaoh gave the viscount an unreadable glance.

"You honor me with your presence, Lord of the Two Lands," said the judge, bowing before Sethos as well. "But Ammit is coming; she is on her way, and I cannot stop her. Your spirit is in danger, my King, if you remain here. I also implore you to leave."

"Your rash actions have displeased me," Sethos told him, with a look of disapproval. "Instead of pursuing a repented man, you could have been after that thief who had me sealed inside that sword for the last week!"

"There is no excuse for his actions, but there are no excuses for mine, either," agreed the judge. "If my Pharaoh wishes it, I, too, shall allow Ammit to wreak her vengeance upon me as punishment."

"If you wish to make amends, you may start by securing the _naos_ of my temple with as much heka as you can to hold off the thieves as long as possible."

The judge bowed and vanished before Raoul's eyes, and Sethos then turned to him.

"You will have to face the thieves in order to get out of this chamber," he said. "Take your companion with you; you don't have much time. Ammit will chase after you until you leave this temple or until she is forced to retreat."

"So we _can_ fight--" began Raoul.

"I don't recommend it," he replied. And with that, the ancient spirit vanished.

The Phantom looked back at the ground, still with no trace of any emotions.

"Do you intend to stay there until that creature arrives, or do you think you should actually try escaping?" asked Raoul.

"What does it matter?" the musician replied, hollowly. "I'm a condemned man; that 'creature' is going to be after me until my dying day, and if the Book of the Dead is correct, she will still be after me even beyond that."

"You heard what the king said; if you can make it out of the temple, she won't be after you," said Raoul. "So go; I have a score to settle with Hoularch anyway. With any luck, I can lead the monster to him."

"You don't fear anything, do you…?" asked the Phantom, bitterly.

"Well, after being an inch from death at your hands, it's difficult to fear something I can't even see," said Raoul.

"And still you forgave me?"

"Has holding grudges ever helped you?" asked Raoul.

"You are impossible, Chagny," said the Phantom, with a shake of his head. "But I suppose I should thank you for not going along with that trial. I have to admit that it was mildly amusing to see you defy him; you're starting to see my way of thinking, aren't you?"

"Somehow I doubt that," said Raoul, retrieving the sword from the floor. "I don't suppose that you still have the map?"

The Phantom searched through his cape. He didn't find the map, for he had dropped it, and it was now somewhere amidst the other treasures, but he did find the golden statue of Sethos and Túaa that he had taken several days prior.

"Is that from this find?" asked Raoul, taking the statue in his hands. "What were you doing with it?"

Before the Phantom could reply, an angry roar filled the cavern.

"Your sword!" ordered Raoul, raising the blade at the ready. "We have to hold the creature off until we can retreat!"

Ammit materialized before them, rearing to her full height, which was as tall as Raoul himself. She had the eyes and snout of something between a crocodile and a dragon, with dozens of teeth. Her front paws revealed their claws, as sharp as a lion's, and her back paws had all the strength and musculature of a hippo; it would be impossible to knock her off of her feet. She began to circle them, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

"This is madness," said the Phantom, raising his sword.

"That shouldn't be new to you, then," Raoul countered.

* * *

Christine, in the meantime, was nearing the end of her journey; the temple was visible on the horizon.

"_Oh, thank goodness_," she thought, with a sigh. "_I thought I'd never reach here…_" She was wondering how Raoul would react to seeing her there. True, he had asked her to remain at Luxor, but she knew that he wouldn't mind if she did show up. They had been that way since childhood; he would always go off to explore the countryside, and she would always show up out of nowhere and tag along. And he had never minded in the least.

Her thoughts were diverted by a glow emitting from her satchel. Keeping one hand on the horse's reins, she opened the satchel, and was astounded to see the sterling silver figure of the Pharaoh's monster shining with a brilliant light. As if that wasn't odd enough, the figure rose into the air of its own accord and vanished in the direction of the temple like a shooting star.

"_What on earth is going on!?_" she thought to herself, staring in awe at the sky where the figure had been soaring through moments ago. "_Oh, Raoul, I do hope you are alright…_"

* * *

Ammit didn't seem concerned by the swords in the least. She continued to circle them, snarling the entire while.

Raoul decided to make the first move, charging forward. With a roar, she swiped at him with her paw, but he had already dodged, striking again. This time, she was ready, and grabbed the blade of the sword in her teeth.

The Phantom chose that moment to attack while her back was turned, but she heard his approaching footsteps. Still holding onto Raoul's sword with her teeth, she swiped her paw at the musician, dealing a blow to his side. The Phantom gritted his teeth, determined not to yell out in pain.

But now he was in dire trouble; Ammit now turned her attention to him. She released Raoul's sword, swiped him aside, and charged at the Phantom.

"Look, get out of here while you can; I'll hold her off!" Raoul called out, glaring at the gash on his arm she had just given him.

"I don't think she's quite finished yet!" said the Phantom, as Ammit opened her mouth and hissed. He turned to retreat, but he wasn't quick enough. Oh, he had escaped the worst of her teeth, but she had succeeded in sinking them into his cape. "Let go, you stomach-brained beast!" the musician ordered, quickly untying his cape.

"Don't insult her; you'll only make her angrier!" said Raoul, still searching for another opening to attack. "And I thought I told you to get out of here; what are you waiting for? Leave the cape and go!"

The Phantom made another attempt to free his cape from the creature's mouth. He did not like the idea of facing the thieves without his lasso, which was concealed within the cape. But after realizing that Ammit was not going to let go until he was in range of her teeth, he decided to abandon it.

Ammit growled in frustration and turned back to Raoul, as though she had understood what he had said about the Phantom making his escape while he still had the chance. Raoul held the blade up to defend himself. She began her advance; the Phantom took advantage of her distraction to try to find the panel of wall that activated the passageway entrance. But he, too, became distracted as Ammit slowly drove Raoul to retreat; the viscount would soon have his back to the wall, quite literally. The boy _had_ defied the judge in attempt to prevent things from occurring this way; he did not deserve the Devourer's wrath at all.

Apparently, the musician wasn't the only one who agreed with this notion. As Raoul had no more room to retreat, and as Ammit began to charge, a brilliant light streamed from the ceiling as what appeared to be a shooting star hovered between Ammit and Raoul. The light grew brighter, and both Raoul and the Phantom stood in amazement as the little silver figure that Christine had been carrying now grew into a large, roaring monster as large as Ammit herself. Raoul recognized the creature from the dream he had back on board the ship, but unlike the dream, she wasn't pursuing him. Amazingly, she was trying to help him.

The two ancient monsters commenced their combat; Raoul tried to think of some sort of way he could give the Pharaoh's monster some sort of help. As he approached the two battling creatures, the Pharaoh's monster unleashed a bright light from its mouth, striking Ammit, who roared in fury.

The light continued to grow until it was blinding, and Raoul was forced to shield his eyes against it. The roars of the two creatures filled his ears as they grew louder and louder.

And then all went silent, and the light dimmed in an instant. Raoul looked around; he was still in the same chamber, and all of the treasures were still around him. Both Ammit and the winged creature were gone… and so was the Phantom.


	14. Hoularch's Offer

"Opera Ghost?" he asked, noticing the tattered cape on the chamber floor. "_Where did he go?_" he asked himself. "_He was by the wall when the light filled the place; he would have been a safe enough distance away, especially if I came through it unscathed…_"

He trailed off as the Pharaoh's monster appeared, glancing disdainfully at an injury on her wing. Raoul took pity on the creature, which had, after all, saved the both of them from Ammit. He used part of the musician's torn cape to bandage the monster's wound. She glanced at him with her deep, sapphire eyes, and emitted a slight trilling sound.

"She thanks you, my friend," said a familiar voice.

"Your Majesty?" asked Raoul, surprised to see the ancient spirit back again. "I presumed that you sent her to help."

"It was clear to me that as you wouldn't abandon me so easily, you were not likely to run out on your companion," said Sethos, glancing derisively around the chamber. "Though he seems to have fled… As it is, I did not think it in the will of Ma'at to not offer you help against Ammit." He approached the creature, and spoke to her in his native tongue. The creature nodded and vanished. "I have told her to return to the spirit world," he went on. "Soon, I will be joining her there."

"You won't go alone," said Raoul, glancing at the golden statue that the Phantom had stolen. "Your queen will be with you." As he spoke, he broke the chains on another wooden sarcophagus. "Is this her?" he asked, moving the sarcophagus lid ever so slightly.

"Her mortal form," the spirit replied, beholding the face of his beloved after so long. "My cousin and I met her once when she was younger, when she came to Thebes with her father for a visit; she seemed smitten by the both of us, but we both dismissed it as a young girl's teasing. I never saw her again until several years later; she came to become a priestess, but she stole my heart and ended up as a queen." He smiled, wistfully, his transparent hand attempting to feel the mummy's face, but instead passing right though her. With a sigh, he withdrew his hand and looked away, his heart visibly heavy.

"That story reminds me of my relationship with Christine," said Raoul, trying to change the topic for the king's benefit. "I never expected to see her again after we parted ways as children, and then I heard her sing at the Opera Populaire…" He trailed off at the memory.

"According to that trial, your companion seemed to be in love with her, as well."

"He probably still is," said Raoul, with a slight roll of his eyes.

Sethos turned back to the mummy. "Túaa never had a chance to come between my cousin and myself. He was dead by that time, and I take full responsibility."

"I'm sorry?"

"I can't explain the whole story," said Sethos. "But I could have prevented his death, and Ma'at knows I tried my best to prevent it. But I was placed under a deep spell with _heka_ by a man whose name I will not defile my mouth with. That jackal's spell not only prevented me from saving him, but… it made me contribute to the problem." He glanced at a carving on the wall.

"That's you, isn't it?" asked Raoul. "And… your cousin?"

"I wonder… if my cousin had lived, would Túaa have had the same predicament as your Christine?" asked Sethos.

"If you were under a spell, you can't be held responsible for what happened," said Raoul. "And by the looks of things, you weren't."

"You are correct, of course," said the king. "Ma'at agreed along the same lines when my time came. Alas, I left Túaa far before I should have. She lived on for several years after I entered the spirit world. But she did not remarry, even though she had the right to do so."

"I see no reason to keep you waiting to see her again," said Raoul, picking up the abandoned cape. "I shall try to find where the Opera Ghost vanished to. If he truly has retreated, I will head for the temple _naos_ posthaste."

* * *

"_I hope that statue flying away wasn't some sort of ill omen_," thought Christine, as she entered the temple. "_Oh, Raoul, if anything has happened to you, I don't know what I'd do…_"

She paused as she saw Neferma'at and her brother running towards her.

"Mademoiselle Ishtar?" asked Christine.

"The viscount! The viscount!" Neferma'at exclaimed.

"He isn't--?"

"I do not know; he helped us escape from Hoularch and his men, but we got separated from him in one of the passageways…" Neferma'at trailed off as she saw the staff in Christine's hands. "He wants us to return to Luxor, but we would feel so guilty if we did so; can we travel with you?"

"Well, if Raoul told you all to go home, perhaps you should," said Christine. "However, I am not one to talk, as I am here after he told me to stay in Thebes. Very well, you may come with me, but you must stay with me at all times."

"We will," said Anhur-Ptah. "Our father gave you the staff of the queen, after all. If he could trust you, we certainly will."

"Yes, he did give it to me, but he didn't really explain what I'm supposed to with it," said Christine. Secretly, she was worried that the staff would also end up rising into the air and flying away of its own accord, therefore leaving her with no way to defend herself.

"No one is sure of how to use it, besides the queen herself," said Neferma'at.

"Then why on earth would your father give the staff to me?" asked Christine. "Am I to use it as some sort of bargaining chip against Hoularch?"

The children shrugged innocently.

"Never mind," she said, dismissing it. "Come; we must find Raoul and Erik at once."

* * *

The Phantom, in the meantime, had escaped the fury of Ammit by a long way. He had found the passageway just as the blinding light had filled the chamber. Desperate to shield his eyes from the light, he had gone through the passageway, which had closed behind him.

He was unpleasantly surprised to find that he wasn't alone; Hoularch and the thieves, who had been trying to find out where Raoul had vanished to, were equally stunned to see the musician's arrival. The Phantom cursed himself for abandoning his cape, which had held the lasso that he needed at the present moment. Still, he was undaunted, and raised his sword against the thieves, picking up the battle from where Raoul had left.

"Where's that Ammit when you need her…?" he muttered, derisively, as the battle raged.

"Why are we wasting our time with him!?" asked one of the thieves. "He is worthless to us; we need to find the viscount!"

"Stop this fighting… for the moment," said Hoularch, and the thieves slowly withdrew. He surveyed the Phantom, who did not lower the sword. "Based upon the Pharaoh's _nemes_ you are wearing, you seem to be the one who stole the artifacts back from us in the market place a few days ago."

The Phantom said nothing.

"And how, pray tell, did you end up with a face such as that?" asked Hoularch.

The Phantom still remained silent, but his grip on the sword hilt grew tighter. He did regret not placing the mask back on his face when he had the chance, but he knew that it was the least of his worries.

"Very well then, Monsieur Erik; it is clear that you are not going to speak anytime soon, so I may as well ask you my true question," said the thief leader. "Where is the Vicomte de Chagny? We know that you are an expert at traversing labyrinths and passageways. Surely you could lead us to him."

There was still no reply.

"You see, Monsieur Erik, the Vicomte has gone back on his word and has betrayed us," Hoularch explained. "I was going to let him return to France, or perhaps even join us, but now I have no choice but to finish him off after the _naos_ shrine is opened. And therein lays the problem, for he is the only one who can open it. Monsieur Erik, you loathe the traitorous boy, do you not? You loved Christine, too. If you were to convince him to open the shrine, after which we would deal with the boy, we could, shall we say, bring you and the soon-to-be-widow de Chagny together? Do we have a deal, Monsieur Erik?"

And here the Phantom flinched. He was ashamed that he had to consider this offer (albeit very briefly), especially after Raoul had just saved him from being eaten alive, risking his own life and soul in the process. The Phantom of four years ago probably would have agreed to the thief's offer. After all, he did still love Christine. But the musician had changed over time; that was why Raoul had refused to speak against him in the trial in the first place.

His thoughts turned to Raoul and Christine's young daughter, Giselle, who was waiting for them back in Paris; Madame Giry had promised to look after her, after the couple had agreed that the child was too young to go with them. He, the Phantom, had never experienced the joys of having a father. He could not and would not let this little girl suffer the same fate. And no one could deny that Raoul de Chagny cared for his family more than his own life.

"The Vicomte de Chagny is no longer my enemy," said the Phantom. "Suffice to say, I must refuse your offer."

"You must… but you won't," said Hoularch, under his breath. He still had one more card left to play. The Phantom of the Opera would end up working for him, whether he liked it or not.

* * *

A short while later, Raoul found the passageway that he had been fighting Hoularch and his crew in, but he was surprised to find it empty; Hoularch, the thieves, and the Phantom had left.

"I'll have to find him later," Raoul decided.

"Why not now?" a familiar voice asked. The Phantom quickly reappeared, but something about him caused the spirit of Sethos to regard him with a frown. Something was amiss, which prompted the spirit to make himself invisible, though he still remained in the corridor.

"So there you are," said Raoul. "Ammit is gone, and I've decided to head for the _naos_ and free the queen before anything else happens."

"A sensible idea, Chagny," the musician replied, but with an air that didn't seem quite right. Raoul sensed this, too, and his eyes narrowed; he had been ready to return the Phantom's lasso to him, but decided against it. "But tell me," the Phantom went on. "There will be that ancient _heka_ when you open the shine. Exactly what do you intend to do with it?"

"Seal it back, of course," said Raoul. "I suppose it is rightfully mine, but some things are better left alone."

"Admirable sentiments…" the Phantom mused.

"…Are you certain that you are alright?" asked Raoul. Something just didn't seem normal about the Opera Ghost, he realized. He wasn't himself, but maybe that was from his encounter with Ammit.

"You are sensing it, too?" asked Sethos, in an undertone.

Raoul gave a slight nod in reply.

"Raoul!" a voice called from down the corridor. "Raoul, is that you!? Are you alright!?"

"Christine--!?" he began, but he was dissuaded by his wife's embrace.

"Raoul, I know you said to stay there, but I was so worried," she explained. "And then Monsieur Ishtar gave me this staff, but I don't know how to use it…"

"I have a feeling that there's someone who could help…" said Raoul, as Sethos made himself briefly visible to greet Christine and the Ishtar children, who bowed before him.

"Oh!" exclaimed Christine, curtseying politely. She then continued her story. "I met the children as I arrived, and they didn't want to return to Luxor alone, so I told them that they could come with me…"

"Well…" sighed Raoul. "I suppose with all of us here, they should be alright. And I also suppose that I'm glad you decided to come after all. Your company is appreciated, especially after having to deal with the Opera Ghost."

The Phantom rolled his eyes slightly, prompting Christine to greet him, too. But when her greeting was not returned as warmly as she had expected, she, too, sensed that something was not the way it should be.

"Keep your eye on him, Christine," Raoul advised her, in an undertone.

She nodded in reply. And with that, the party headed for the temple _naos_.


	15. Spellbound

Raoul lead the group through the temple passageways, sword in hand. He was expecting that Hoularch would be desperate to stop him from freeing the queen, but now he was also suspicious of the Phantom. And this feeling was apparently shared by Christine, who knew the musician best.

"_If something really is wrong, I can't allow him to enter the temple naos_," he thought. "_I was inclined to think that he had suffered from some sort of shock because of that trial, but during the battle, he had seemed normal… Well, normal for _him_, anyway…_"

Christine, in her concern, decided to be the most vocal.

"Are you sure that you are alright?" she asked him.

"Why would you ask?"

"You are not… yourself," she said, trying to select her choice of words carefully. "Has something gone wrong?"

"Wrong? Don't be ridiculous," the musician insisted. "We must arrive open that shrine… or rather, you must, Vicomte."

Raoul exchanged glances with a confused Christine, and then with the spirit of the king.

"Perhaps you need to rest after that encounter with Ammit," said Raoul. "Why don't you go back to Luxor? Or, at the very least, you could go outside the temple and keep a lookout."

"If I didn't know any better, Chagny, I'd say that you didn't trust me…"

Raoul didn't reply; he kept on walking, trying to figure out a way to prevent him from reaching the shrine.

"…And you'd have been correct!" the musician added, with a snarl.

"RAOUL!" Christine cried.

The viscount looked back in time to see the Phantom attack with his sword. But Raoul had expected something like this, and countered with his own sword.

"Erik, stop!" pleaded Christine. "Why are you doing this!?"

"Because your beloved is a fool to let that precious _heka_ slip away!" the Phantom, striking with the blade again. "If he doesn't see the need for it, he should see that there are others who could use it."

"I saved your life!" the viscount roared as he dodged the strike, uncharacteristically angry. "Ammit would have killed you in an instant if I hadn't stepped in to help! Is this how you repay kindness!?"

"Raoul!" exclaimed Christine, as she shielded the children from the fight. "He's not himself, Raoul!"

"Are you certain!?"

"Raoul, his eyes…" she said, her voice quivering. "His eyes always had some sort of window to his feelings. But even his eyes are empty now!"

"So what exactly is wrong with him…?" Raoul asked, to no one in particular.

"Do you remember me telling you about the jackal who once had me in a spell?" asked Sethos.

Raoul flinched as he hit the wall to avoid another strike from the Phantom's sword; he knew where the Pharaoh was going with this, and he wasn't surprised, either.

"And I equate 'jackal' with 'Hoularch,'" the young nobleman said, going on the offensive.

"Indeed," the king replied. "However, this confrontation will not result in any good, I fear… You need to put him out of commission long enough for you to free Túaa from the shrine; she can then use the staff Christine is holding to free your companion from the spell."

"We don't have to necessarily put him out of commission," Raoul said, as an idea came to him. "I only need to free her before he gets the power. And all I have to do to accomplish that is outrun him."

With that, Raoul struck the nearest panel of wall, which turned a hundred and eighty degrees, sweeping the Phantom to the adjacent corridor. The viscount immediately began to usher the others down their corridor.

* * *

"Raoul, this is terrible," said Christine. "I know that that the real Erik is in there somewhere, but I don't understand why he couldn't resist the magic that was used upon him. Raoul… what if he never goes back to normal? It would be awful if he became permanently like that."

"He certainly seems worse than when he haunted the Opera Populaire," agreed Raoul. "But if the king says it can be reversed, I don't see why he can't be saved. I'll be glad when this whole ordeal is over."

"He is not the one you need to worry about," said Sethos. "You are the ones in danger; worry about your own well-being."

"Maybe… maybe he just needs a bit of help remembering who he really is," said Christine.

"That doesn't help me; he'd just remember that he hates me…" said Raoul, not holding much faith in the Phantom.

"Mr. Viscount?" asked Neferma'at. "How is it that you know exactly where we are going, even without the map? And how did you know that panel activated another segment of wall?"

"I… I couldn't tell you; the knowledge just came to me…" said Raoul, and he glanced at the specter, who gave him a slight nod.

"You knew the temple plan ever since I chose you as my successor," Sethos replied. "The knowledge was there, untapped inside your mind until you needed it. And that time has come."

"Is there a reason why you chose me to be your successor?" asked Raoul. "I didn't think I had any connection at all to the ancient ways… I'm just a viscount and former seafarer."

"One does not need obvious connections to the ancient ways to relate to them," came the reply. "Ma'at sensed that your heart is noble. Ra sensed that your heart is as fiery as the sun. Osiris sensed that your heart is brave. Thoth sensed that your heart is wise. Horus sensed that your heart is loyal. And Isis sensed that your heart is benevolent. All of those are the characteristics that a true Pharaoh needs, and you have them all."

"Surely I'm not the only one who has those characteristics," said Raoul.

"Raoul, you do not have to be so modest!" said Christine.

Raoul suppressed a laugh in reply.

"You do not wish to be my successor?" asked Sethos.

"I never meant that," said Raoul. "I know that someone besides myself might be inclined to take the power in the shrine; I cannot allow that."

"Well said," said the king. "I cringe at the thought of Hoularch achieving victory."

"I don't mean any insolence," said the viscount. "But while I know that the Opera Ghost found his own way around the temple, who gave Hoularch the information? I would assume he inherited it from other thieves, but who was the fool who let it slip to them?"

The Pharaoh's eyes narrowed.

"That was the doing of a renegade Lord," he replied. "Some time ago, the Lord Anubis inadvertently split His soul into two. One half was good, and continued His duties as a servant of Ma'at."

"Let me guess what happened to the other half…" said Raoul, with a slight roll of his eyes. "He told the information to the thieves."

"Yes, but countless millennia had passed without the thieves finding success," Sethos replied. "It was only in the last 500 years that they became unbearably powerful." The Pharaoh turned to Raoul. "You told me of how terrible it felt to be separated from Christine for less than a decade. Can you even fathom how it is to be separated from your beloved for five centuries?"

Raoul exchanged glances with Christine, who looked horrified.

"I can't even imagine being separated from Raoul ever again," she said, still locked in a glance with him.

"Look!" exclaimed Anhur-Ptah, changing the subject hastily. He had good reason; they had arrived at the _naos_.

The spirit hovered beside the golden shrine and spoke in the ancient tongue again. Although Raoul couldn't understand exactly what he was saying, he had a feeling that the Pharaoh was trying to reassure the queen that she would soon be free.

But there was still one slight problem; the chasm was still far too wide for Raoul to find a way across it. And that was when he remembered that he was carrying the Phantom's lasso. Retrieving the length of rope, Raoul scanned the other side of the room, searching for a place to anchor it to.

"I'll be taking that back, Chagny," a voice growled behind him.

Christine gasped as the Phantom reappeared, his eyes still empty and devoid of their usual spark.

"Raoul, go!" said Christine. "You must free the queen!"

Raoul was very reluctant to traverse to the other side of the room with a more-mad-than-normal Opera Ghost so dangerously close to Christine, who was holding up the staff to defend herself. She was placing herself between the Phantom and the children, trying not to show how afraid she was. The Phantom was approaching her, sword raised; something which he never would have done to Christine, even at his worst. And all she could do was back away.

"I'll be fine, Raoul!" she promised him.

And that was when another idea came to the viscount.

"Christine!" called Raoul. "Sing something!"

"Do you mean now!?" she asked, in amazement, glancing from him to the Phantom. "Raoul, are you sure?"

"I'm certain!" he replied. "You were the one who said that he needs help remembering who he really is!"

"He's a musician… and my former teacher…" Christine said, realizing Raoul's plan. She took a deep breath and began to sing an aria from _Don Juan Triumphant_, the opera that would be the closest to the Phantom's heart—it was his own composition, after all.

And, miraculously, the spell of the music, along with Christine's voice, seemed to be equal to the ancient spell that Hoularch had placed upon the Phantom. He stopped his advance and placed his hand upon his disfigured face, as though he was remembering the events of that fateful night at the Opera Populaire. Hoularch's power could not suppress those memories forever, especially with Christine's singing echoing among the stone walls.

And yes, the memories were returning to him, in brief but vivid flashes: the opera house, his underground home, the fall of the chandelier, the masked ball, the actual performance of _Don Juan Triumphant_, the confrontation between the three of them underground, the kiss… and his repentance.

"...Christine…?" he asked, desperately trying to break free of the spell.

The young woman paused her singing, wondering if she had succeeded in freeing him.

"Erik, are you yourself again?" she asked.

"Christine, wait!" said Raoul. "Keep singing; don't stop until you're certain that he's back--"

The singer let out a cry as the Phantom seemed to fall back under Hoularch's control, raising the sword again. She resumed her singing, but now the ancient spell seemed to have a greater grip on the musician.

Raoul charged forward with the sword, ready for battle, but as Christine sang louder, the Phantom's drive to fight seemed to fade again. But then, in her fright, Christine accidentally hit one of the high notes slightly off, ruining the music's power. With a roar, the Phantom fell back under the ancient spell and attacked, with Raoul countering all of his blows again.

"Erik, please!" cried Christine, rushing forward to lend a hand to Raoul. "Can you not remember who you are without any help from me?"

"I am no one!" the man replied. "I was never anyone! All my life, I was no one! I was a nameless entity of the Opera Populaire, living alone and friendless beneath its cellars!"

"I was your friend!" the young singer cried. "And I am still your friend! And even Raoul is your friend now, isn't that right?"

Raoul gave her a glance, his eyebrows arched.

"Ally?" she offered, in a low voice.

"Ally," he agreed.

"He's your ally!" she called to the Phantom. "He mentioned before that he was willing to save you from that monster!"

She took a step forward as the Phantom stepped forward for another attack. Without any warning, the staff in her hands began to glow, and the head of the staff struck the musician on his shoulder. With a cry, the Phantom sank to the ground, unconscious, his sword clattering to the ground beside him.

"Oh, what have I done!?" gasped Christine, kneeling beside him.

"He's still breathing," said Raoul. "I think you only rendered him senseless."

"There is no need to worry," said Sethos, surveying the scene. "You merely broke him free of the _heka_ controlling him; such a shock would render anyone unconscious. He will be fine when he awakens."

"Well done, Christine," said Raoul.

She smiled in reply, sighing with relief.

"Go on, then," she said, giving him a kiss for good luck.

The viscount nodded, as he glanced back at the golden shrine. There was still one more task left to complete.


	16. The Shrine

With the help of the spirit's use of ancient magic, Raoul was able to successfully tie the lasso to two pillars, one on each side of the chasm. Christine and the children held their breath as he climbed to the other side, arriving at the shrine. He stood before the golden doors, pausing for a moment to appreciate the craftsmanship, and opened the shrine.

A bright light seemed to shine from within. Raoul caught a glimpse of a golden statue of Osiris holding a white sphere of light in his hands, but his attention was drawn to the transparent figure of a woman, who gasped in amazement, regarding the viscount with wonder.

But then she noticed Sethos, and the two spirits fell into an embrace, whispering to each other in the ancient tongue. Raoul stared determinedly away; the last thing he wanted to do was intrude upon their reunion.

His glanced fell upon the glowing sphere that the statue was holding. Was this what Hoularch had been after? It didn't seem like much, but his recent experiences had taught Raoul to never judge things on appearance.

"Raoul!" exclaimed Christine. "I think he's coming to!"

Raoul glanced back across the chasm as the Phantom stirred, and slowly rose to his knees.

"What on earth happened…?" he asked, placing a hand on his face, which prompted Christine to hand him his mask.

"Hoularch had you under a spell," she said. "Somehow, I was able to use the queen's staff to free you, and Raoul just succeeded in freeing her." She indicated the two spirits, who were still embracing.

"Then we've done whatever was required of us," said the Phantom, stunned that he had been under a spell. "But I suppose I should thank you for freeing me."

"Ah, and that reminds me," said Túaa, turning towards Raoul. "Thank you, young man, for freeing me, as well."

"It was what anyone would have done," said the viscount, bowing politely.

"Surely there is some way we could reward you?" asked Sethos. "The _heka_ is there, in Osiris' hands, waiting to be claimed by you, for it is rightfully yours. Are you certain that you do not want it?"

"With all due respect, I am certain."

"Then, perhaps a piece of my treasure?" the king offered. "Take whatever you wish."

"Perhaps I will take you up on that offer, Your Majesty," said Raoul. "However, I will not do so for myself. With your permission, as well as that of the local authorities, I believe that this piece would be a great addition to the artifacts already housed in the Louvre." He showed the royal couple the golden statue that he had retrieved from the Phantom. Ammit had arrived before he had been able to do anything with it, and so he had carried it with him.

"As you wish, it is yours," said Sethos. "If you choose to give it to this 'Louvre,' far be it from me to convince you otherwise."

"_Mry_!" cried Túaa, seizing Sethos' arm, speaking the ancient word for "beloved." But she wasn't speaking to talk to him; something had unnerved her.

And as everyone turned, they soon saw what it was that had upset her; Hoularch and his thieves were appearing from all over the _naos_, arriving through various passageways.

"The _heka_!" Sethos roared, as one of the thieves ran for the shrine.

Raoul knew that he didn't have another choice in the matter; he seized the shining sphere from the statue's hands a split second before the thief could. The thief growled in frustration, turning to him, sword in hand. Unfortunately, Raoul had his hands full, holding the glowing sphere in his left and the small statue of the king and queen in his right

Thinking quickly, he knocked the thief out with the statue's base (immediately apologizing to the royal couple for doing so).

"There is no more reason for you to be trapped in this world," he said to them. "There's a place meant for you elsewhere. Have faith in us and go; someday, we will join you there."

Sethos glanced around at the thieves, at Christine (who was shielding the children, staff in hand), and at the Phantom (who had retrieved his sword).

"I pray that it isn't too soon," the Pharaoh replied.

"As do I," agreed Raoul. "Farewell."

With a final thanks, Sethos and Túaa vanished, and Raoul set across the rope to the other side of the chasm, securing both the statue and the orb.

"Raoul, behind you!" warned Christine, as she successfully held the thieves at bay with the glowing staff.

Raoul glanced back to see another thief attempt to grab the rope. His options limited, Raoul had no other choice but to grab his sword and sever the rope from the pillar. It worked, and the young viscount held onto the rope with all of his strength as he swung to the other end of the chasm.

Hoularch tried to attack while Raoul was still trying to regain his footing on the other end of the chasm, but found his path blocked by the Phantom, who was able to hold him off for long enough.

Raoul grabbed his sword again, slicing the rope from the other pillar, and tossing one end of the rope to the Phantom. Together, the former rivals succeeded in tripping the mastermind, sending him crashing into his minions.

"You didn't think for a minute that you would keep me in that spell for long, did you?" the musician sneered at Hoularch.

"If it hadn't been for the girl, you would've been another one of my followers until the day I chose to release you," the thief promised, and he glared at Christine, who glared back, striking the staff against the ground, which created a small shock wave that repelled the thieves who were approaching her.

Unfortunately, there was no way to control where the shock wave traveled, so both Raoul and the Phantom had to brace themselves as it washed over them. Fortunately, both of them were able to withstand it, as they were a safe enough distance away.

"And you, you traitorous Vicomte…" Hoularch fumed. "I was ready to declare you as a friend. And you betrayed me."

"You will excuse my insolence when I say that you were the first to commit a betrayal by placing that serpent in our stateroom," Raoul said, his blue eyes blazing.

"Perhaps you are right…" the thief said. "What say you hand over the _heka_, and we can start our friendship anew?"

"I'm more interested in fulfilling the vows I made," said the young nobleman. "And so far, I've freed the children, freed the Pharaoh and his queen, and managed to see Christine again. Only one vow remains: my promise to stop your entire thieving operation, once and for all. And before I leave Abydos, I will have fulfilled it."

"I'm afraid that I cannot allow that, Vicomte," said Hoularch. "The fulfillment of that vow of yours would put me in a most inconvenient situation. It would mean a huge dishonor to my name--"

"You don't know the meaning of honor!" Raoul shot back. "Honor is what is stopping me from attacking you now, while you're still unable to defend yourself. Stand and face me; I will show you honor."

"Sometimes, Chagny, too much honor is a bad thing," the Phantom said, in an undertone, but Raoul ignored him.

"Very well, Vicomte," said Hoularch, rising to his feet. "As per your wish, we shall duel… just you against me." He smirked. "I trust that your companions can handle the rest of my minions."

With that, he attacked. Raoul effortlessly countered the thief's strikes as the rest of the thieves swarmed the chamber. Christine, in the meantime, seemed to be holding her ground fairly well; the thieves seemed too fearful of the staff to attack her (or the children, whom she was guarding as though they were her own), so the thieves turned their attention to the Phantom.

The masked musician grumbled under his breath as he faced them. Seizing his sword in one hand and the lasso in the other, he fought back, as Christine attempted to help by striking the staff against the floor to create more shock waves. This worked, to a limit; she was still worried about accidentally having her companions caught in one of the attacks.

And through it all, Raoul and Hoularch crossed swords. The viscount clearly had experience on his side; Hoularch must have never come across someone as "troublesome" as him. But the thief's swordsmanship was nothing to be sneezed at; one lapse in Raoul's concentration would mean defeat… or worse. And it wasn't easy to concentrate when he knew that the remainder of the thieves were trying to attack his companions.

"Vicomte, I tire of this," said Hoularch, backing away from him. "I admit that you are the worthier swordsman, and the most honorable out of the two of us. Well done."

Both of them paused in their attacks, but Raoul didn't lower the sword; he was still expecting some underhanded ploy from the thief.

"But you should have listened to Monsieur Erik; too much honor can be a bad thing," said Hoularch. "And today, it is your downfall."

"Raoul, watch out!" cried Christine.

The thieves were turning on him now, while his back was still turned. But the Phantom had seen this coming; he was sure to fight with them long enough for Raoul to prepare for the new onslaught.

"And you, Monsieur Erik," said Hoularch. "It seems that you, too, have too much honor. You were better off as a scoundrel; at least you'd have lived to see the end of this adventure."

"What on earth are you going on about--?" the Phantom began, but was cut off after Hoularch dealt him a crushing blow with his heavily muscular arm. The force of the blow sent the masked man hurtling towards the bottomless chasm in the middle of the room.

Christine screamed as she saw him fall into the void. Raoul headed for the chasm, knowing that he would never make it in time. But to his astonishment, the lasso came sailing out of the chasm for the quickest instant; but that was all that he needed. Raoul seized the rope and braced himself as gravity attempted to pull the rope from his hands, aiming to claim his former rival.

"I've got the rope!" Raoul called to him.

"Good!" the Phantom roared back, out of sight. "And if you let go, I swear I'll come back to haunt you for the rest of your days!"

"I wouldn't worry, Vicomte," said Hoularch, approaching with his sword in hand. "You won't have that many days, anyway."

"Don't you dare!" ordered Christine, taking a step forward.

"No, Christine; please, stay back!" Raoul said, holding onto the rope with one hand and the sword with the other. Even with a limited range of movement, and the use of only one arm, Raoul successfully blocked all of Hoularch's blows, prompting the rest of the thieves to close in.

"You can't do this!" shrieked Christine, using the staff to force her way through the large crowd of thieves, each thief falling asleep as they came into contact with the staff. But the crowd was far too thick; she was having trouble fighting her way through it.

"It is your choice, Vicomte," said Hoularch. "Give us the _heka_, and we will let you all go."

"And why should I trust you?"

"Look around; do you have another choice?"

In response, Raoul drew out the glowing sphere, glaring furiously at the thief.

"You'll hand it over, then?" asked Hoularch, his eyes gleaming with greed.

"Never in a million years," the blond youth replied. And he tossed the sphere into the chasm.

Hoularch roared in fury as his prize was lost to him forever. Angrily, he drew his sword back, ready to strike, and Raoul prepared to counter, knowing that the thief's rage would be boundless.

But as Hoularch brought the sword down, Raoul saw that his aim changed in mid-strike. He wasn't attacking him; he was striking at the rope. Unfortunately, the realization of this came too late.

Raoul made a grab for the severed end of the rope, but it was just out of the reach of his fingertips, and then it was gone. The shout of the vanquished Phantom rang through the chamber and faded away, and it was replaced by Christine's horrified cry and Raoul's angry yell.

"No, no, NO!" the viscount fumed, striking the ground with his fist. He immediately crossed swords with Hoularch again, and Christine continued to place the thieves into a slumber, both Chagnys seeking to avenge the fallen Phantom. The Ishtar children watched on as Raoul successfully disarmed Hoularch with a well-aimed strike, and as the last few thieves began to snore.

"Vicomte, I thought you hated the Opera Ghost," said Hoularch. "He tried to kill you; I would have thought that I granted you a favor."

"You tried to kill me, too," Raoul shot back, though still unsure as to why the Phantom's death had upset him to this extent.

"Point taken," the thief replied, without a shred of remorse.

Christine's hands gripped the staff as she furiously blinked back the tears in her eyes. But before she could say anything, the mysterious robed judge appeared before them.

"Hoularch, the events that have just taken place have made you guilty of far more crimes than the man you have just slain," said the judge.

"And just who are you?" asked Hoularch.

"Trust me," said a familiar voice. "He's your worst nightmare."

Raoul, Christine, and the children glanced back, hardly daring to believe their ears.

"Erik!" exclaimed Christine.

"You!?" roared Hoularch, stunned. "But that's impossible; I saw you fall!"

"But you didn't see me grab onto one of the ledges down there as I fell," the Phantom said, with a smug expression. "As for how I found my way back up here so soon… well, I had a little help for that."

Sethos and Túaa once again reappeared in the chamber, glaring daggers at Hoularch.

"Once again, we didn't think it right to leave you at the mercy of these thieves," said Sethos.

"Although you seem to have held your own, for the most part," added Túaa. "You made a wise choice when you discarded the _heka_."

"Fortunately, it wasn't a complete loss," said the Phantom, drawing the glowing sphere from his cape. "I caught this as you threw it."

"Somehow I expected that you would," the viscount replied, with a slight roll of his eyes.

With another smirk, the Phantom casually tossed the _heka_ to the austere judge.

"With a temperament like yours, this should be safe with you," he said.

And for the first time, the judge seemed to be amused; his expression had definitely become less fierce.

"Perhaps he is right," said Sethos. "After you deal with this jackal, I suggest that you seal that away somewhere far from here… somewhere protected by traps and trials so that only the one truly worth of possessing it shall claim it."

"As you wish, my Pharaoh," said the judge, and he turned to glare angrily at Hoularch, who had lost his confident air.

"Come, my friends," said Sethos. "My treasures are waiting in the deeper chambers, waiting to be taken back to Luxor. There is no more need for us to remain here."

"Pity…" mused the Phantom, pausing to smirk at Hoularch as the judge began to list off his transgressions. "I would have wanted to see this…"


	17. Epilogue

After the matter of tomb robbers had been placed behind them, the remainder of Raoul, Christine, and the Phantom's stay in Egypt had been considerably pleasant. The authorities were grateful to Raoul for helping to retrieve the lost artifacts of the Pharaoh Sethos, and were more than willing to allow the golden statue of the Pharaoh and queen to be placed in the Louvre.

And Raoul was also being thanked by the Ishtars, who were grateful for all that he had done for them, and the fact that he had gone out of his way to do so.

"How can we ever thank you for saving our children?" asked Sopdet, trying to press gifts upon gifts to them.

"Madame Ishtar, it was nothing," Raoul insisted, trying to be modest about the whole fiasco.

"And I must thank you, for the staff," added Christine. She attempted to return the staff to Techu, but he refused it.

"You may as well add that to the collection of artifacts," he said, very much moved after seeing his son again for the first time in years. "It will complete it very nicely."

The viscount and his companions soon had to part ways with the family, as their presence had been required in Cairo, to help with setting up the exhibit of Sethos and Túaa.

But it was with a heavy heart that the day of their departure to France came, for the spirits of the king and queen were reluctant to see them leave. They, too, had come to Cairo, unseen by anyone, and they were most pleased to see their treasures displayed with splendor and honor. And they had also accompanied the trio to Alexandria, where they were to board the ship that would take them home.

"We, too, are due to return to the spirit world," said Túaa. "But we give you our sincerest thanks for all that you have done to make this possible."

"She is right," said Sethos. "Had it not been for you, we would never have been able to escape our seals."

"It is I who should thank you," said Raoul. "By allowing me to take this statue of yourselves back to Paris, you gave given France, and all of Europe, a great gift. And you granted us a friendship."

"Then know this," said Sethos. "When a Pharaoh befriends those fortunate to earn his friendship, they are his friends for life… and beyond, as can be plainly seen here. I have no doubt in my mind that we shall meet again, perhaps in this world, or perhaps another."

"It would be an honor if we could somehow aid you again," said Christine, bowing respectfully.

"Maybe you shall," said Túaa.

"And I, too, agree with those sentiments," said the Phantom. "It would have been most difficult to escape that pit had it not been for your aid. I am in your debt."

"No, there is no debt," assured Sethos. "After all you three have done for us, it was expected that we would somehow aid you. And perhaps we can aid you again, just as you wish to aid us."

They said their goodbyes, after which the royal couple vanished once again.

"They won't be coming back this time," Christine realized, wistfully.

"They're where they were meant to be," said Raoul. But then he suddenly noticed a piece of papyrus where the Pharaoh had been standing moments ago. He gathered the small piece of paper, and was astounded to realize that he could now read the ancient script that had been written upon it; that, too, must have been a gift obtained when he had become the Pharaoh's successor.

"_Be sure to tell Christine that I have spoken with her father many a time. He wishes her well, has blessed your wedding since the day you announced it, and has no doubt that you will be able to keep her safe. And I can vouch that his trust is well-placed._" And the message was signed with Sethos' cartouche.

"What is it?" asked Christine.

"He had a message from your father," he replied, and he proceeded to tell her the contents of the message as they boarded the ship.

"We should come back to Egypt another time," stated Christine. "Perhaps when Giselle is old enough to come…"

"And I seriously doubt that Hoularch will be giving us any problems…" added the Phantom, who clearly had wanted to see how the thief's trial had ended up. "I expect he and his henchmen are being chased about by Ammit."

"Well, I'm certainly not going to pretend to feel sorry for him," said Christine.

"I think we can all agree on that," said Raoul, as they all headed for the deck of the vessel.

"And I will miss those two," she went on, referring to the two spirits they had befriended.

Raoul brought out the golden statue once again, and the couple paused to appreciate the handiwork of the sculpture, as well as the serene and happy expressions of the Pharaoh and his queen.

"I'd like to think that they are reminiscent of ourselves," said Raoul. "They were able to share their love for more than one lifetime. Perhaps our love can last beyond one lifetime as well."

Christine smiled.

"I am sure of it," she whispered.

With that, the young couple fell into an embrace, grateful to have each other, especially after some of the events that they had been through. The Phantom turned away, with a mildly exasperated shake of his head, deciding to make his rounds about the ship.

And he knew that he wouldn't have to worry about running into any Ma'at-obsessed judges. He knew that he had been cleared of his charges; the fact that the judge had not pursued him further, even after meeting them again at the temple _naos_, proved that.

Raoul and Christine, still in their embrace, noticed him leaving, and exchanged amused glances.

"I am glad Hoularch didn't succeed in trying to get rid of him," said Christine.

And Raoul found himself agreeing; somehow, he had gotten used to the Phantom's presence in Paris. But Raoul was more pleased with the knowledge he and Christine were still together.

Everything was as it should be, and in his heart, Raoul knew that no matter what happened in the future, everything would somehow work out to ensure that the balance remained that way.


End file.
